Angel Trapped On Earth
by Adieu
Summary: Sephiroth .+. Tifa. - Sephiroth had already decided to never fall in love. The problem is -- love spares no one. Now unexpected things arise and danger stirs.
1. Unreturned Love prologue

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Prologue

. + . Love Unreturned .+.

Tifa, a beautiful chocolate browned hair beauty, padded softly down the stairs softly to the warm kitchen in her home. Cloud lived with her and everything couldn't go wrong. Or so she thought. In her elegant petite hands she carried two mugs that were beautifully crafted, and upon her face was a genuine smile of pride. She had made the mugs herself the other day, and she couldn't wait to see the look on Cloud's face when she poured hot chocolate in the mugs and declared that it was made by her. She stopped abruptly. Something was wrong and she knew it. 

The air in the comfortable cottage seemed to have changed, and it was oddly thick. She frowned, and shook her head, telling herself that it was just her being paranoid.

"Cloud?" She called out lovingly.

No answer came.

"Cloud…?" Tifa tried again a little bit louder.

She came into the kitchen, the fire still burning hot and crimson. Upon the old, rusty, wooden table was a note. She put one mug down as she took the note in her free hand. 

__

Tifa. I am sorry. I can't continue living like this. Living in a complete and utter lie.

It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to me. I have to leave. I feel as if I'm being chained here in this stuffy village.

I need to leave and find out some things for myself. Don't come after me, I'll be fine.

-Cloud.

The sound of broken glass and plastic thudded against the floor, shattering into the silent atmosphere of the room. Tifa leaned against the creaky chair for support. Cloud had left her. She wasn't surprised. She wasn't even angry. She was just agonized. She knew that one day Cloud would one day soon leave her, but never knew it would be this soon. He had given her a little taste of heaven, and she wasn't ready to give it up yet.

She swallowed the lump in her throat that felt suspiciously like a weak sob. She hated being weak. She always knew that the love she gave Cloud would forever be unreturned. She wasn't even sure if Cloud loved Aeris. No. Cloud loved life. Aeris represented that life, and when Cloud had a crush on Tifa, Tifa had represented that vibrant life. 

Both had gone. She had grown older, and her dearest friend had passed away. Cloud had gone to look for life. His life. It was perfectly understandable. Then why was she having a hard time comprehending it? 

She always knew it would happen, she had even begun to accept it. 

She just had a hard time experiencing it.

Author's Note : Ah…yes. A short short prologue to start things off. ( Disclaimer : I think we all know that FFVII is not mine. Will never be. Not unless I…*thinks evil thoughts* err Puwahha…nvmd ) I hope you all enjoy this story. I'm also working on an orignal ( dun dun dun ) story called ( dun dun dun…*quit that music* ) "Squall". I hope you'll give it a try. Not a lot of people come to the original section. Oh yes, and review please! I'd love to hear your comments.


	2. The Black Angel Returns

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter One

. + . The Black Angel Returns .+.

Harsh winds howled against the pale icy blue sky as a dark figure stumbled out of what seemed to be a jaded river. His cat like green eyes were filled with apprehension as it darted around to seek the closest shelter. A village not far away, and he felt breathed a sigh of relief only to feel the harsh coldness rasp his throat. He squinted to estimate the distance. Good, he could walk there, he thought. 

He would leave all the thoughts of how, what, and why for later. Now all he needed was warmth and something to eat. He slowly steadied himself upon his massive sword preparing to make the short walk to the village. A voice in his head whispered, _Nibielhiem._ A vague sense of recognition began to creep over him and he shook it off before he could begin to place what it was. 

The snow descended blindingly fast upon his angel-like silver hair, and he shivered when a chill brushed over his wet skin. Suddenly, he heard a faint shrill scream in a distance and he turned around. A fast, red, monster was charging at him. A scorpion. It was huge, and Sephiroth was much too tired. Nonetheless, his blood boiled to a ready stance and he gripped the handle of his massive sword.

The battle immensed, and although Sephiroth was strong, he also had a disadvantage. Weariness. He swung his sword in a skillful swipe, and the scorpion was sliced in many pieces. Poison oozed out, and all was lost. It had seeped upon Sephiroth's skin and had now penetrated. He suddenly felt dizzy, and realized that he was mere steps away from the village. 

It would take a few hours, considering his state of weakness, for the poison to heal itself. He had that ability of abnormalness. He ran drunkedly towards the snow-covered village, and found himself on the doorstep of a warm looking house. He knocked several times, but before the door could swing open, he drooped the ground. All that he could make out was a blurry image of a beautiful heavenly woman.

---------------

__

Sephiroth here is your chance…you survived. You can continue to carry out your plans. OUR plans.

"No no…I don't want to anymore. I don't want to. I never wanted to.." 

__

You have to.

----------------

Tifa cautiously looked at the sleeping Sephiroth. He looked safe enough, but she couldn't be too sure. She looked at his arm and noticed that it was bleeding and a black ooze was slowly coming out of his skin, and it was glowing a pale green. She ran to the kitchen to get a warm cloth and soaked it. She was utterly shocked when he appeared in front of her door suddenly and just collasped. She didn't know why, and she knew she must be insane for dragging him inside and letting him into her house.

What could she do? Leave him to die? Well yes, he deserved that much, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Maybe when he wakes up, all groggy, she could kill him and get revenge for all the things he had taken away from her. Everything. She shook herself of her thoughts, and returned to the warm room. 

--------

He awoke, slowly opening his eyes. He felt a throbbing pain on the side of his arm and he winced. It was healing slowly, but surely. He sat up to look at his surroundings. It was warm cozy little house, illuminated by the light of a warm orange fire. He heard footsteps coming, and he quickly layed back down again, awaiting his host.

He felt his arm being lifted, and he tensed. He didn't like being touched. Cruel memories of Hojo overtook him, and he shuddered. He felt a warm blanket being drafted over him, and a sense of belonging washed over him. He frowned. This wasn't what he was supposed to be feeling. Then suddenly, he felt a warm hand grasp his arm and a warm, wet cloth being applied to his wound. His eyes shot open, and he grabbed a soft fragile hand in his large, rough hands. 

He growled, and he narrowed his eyes to the woman next to him. He stopped abruptly when he realized who it was. Lockheart. Tifa Lockheart. A girl in a cowgirl's suit flashed through his mind, and he just stared. He stared dumbfoundedly at the angelic face in front of him. Beautiful creamy white skin, and two big wonderful brown eyes mixed with wine. He just stared. And a chill ran up his spine because he knew that she was staring too. 

"Tifa." He said in a low voice, teasing between the border of friendliness and threatening.

She gasped, a sweet breath escaping her luscious lips, as she suddenly realized that in front of her was the most cruelest man that could be alive. She pulled back, and her back was snapped into a stiff position. Her warm brown eyes suddenly turned hard and cold.

Sephiroth smirked, and clucked his tongue. He brought a hand to her chin, and she jerked back.

How ironic. He was saved by the one woman who probably hated him most, and here she was, taking care of him.

------------

Tifa had been watching him when she saw him shiver. She assumed it was out of coldness, and tucked the blanket he had kicked off over him again. She then continued to tend to his wound, and then suddenly he just grasped her hand in his. She found herself lost in those soulful green eyes that seem to be even more lovelivier than the forests. They were filled with surprise, wonder, and even amusement. 

He had brought her to her senses when he had suddenly said her name. She realized who she was. Tifa. She realized who _he _was. He was Sephiroth, the one man she hated the most in the entire existence. He had taken away her father, her hometown, and in a way, had taken away Cloud from her. She jerked back with a sudden pain and defense.

He had tried to reach for her, but she wouldn't let him touch her. She jerked back, and turned a cold stare at him. It was something she had mastered throughout the five years that Cloud had left her. 

She stared at him now. He was watching her intently with mock and scorn in his eyes, and she wanted to slap it off his face.

"Sephiroth. How unpleasant." She said, almost as if spitting out his name.

"Really is it? Why did you choose to bring me in your home then?" He said, his voice raspy.

Her eyes darted to the side, for she could not supply him with an answer.

"Leave." She whispered.

Sephiroth shrugged, and he threw off the blanket she had draped over him. He slowly began to get up, but his head swirled in different directions and he found himself falling back down upon the bed. Tifa instinctively ran to his side, and supported him back down upon the bed. He smirked at her through closed eyes.

"See? That's what kindness gets you. Nowhere." He said as a matter of factly.

"Just shut up and go to sleep." She said briskly.

She had no wish to converse with a man she hated, and she must be insane for taking care of him. Yes, she must be, as she nodded her head to herself to reassure herself. 

With one last look at sephiroth, a tuck there and here, and a skillful wrap of the cloth around his arm, she left. 

He smiled as he heard her footsteps echoing away. This was going to be interesting. He had no wish to stay here with her either, but he would use her so he could regain his health. When he did, he would go looking for revenge. He flinched at the thought of Jenova and the reoccuring dream he had. It was a wonder though; why Tifa would put up with him. What did she want with him? It was not safe for him when she was out of the room, he thought, and he knew exactly how to keep her within his sights.

He would kill her if he had to. Nothing could stop him from his plans now. Nothing.

Author's note : Sorry guys, this chapter is kind of boring and not that good. I can only update once a week, and so I guess it will be a slow process but I promise improvement. Check out my other stories as well! Bye, and thanks for reading. ( ffvii is not mine btw, lolz will never be…ß just have to say that for the sake of legal ….thingamabobbers..) Make sure to review! I know this chapter isn't all that good, but I promise next chapter will be better!


	3. Depths of Wine

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Two

. + . Depths of Wine .+.

Tifa sat upon her creeky wooden chair, and rapped her pretty hands upon the old wobbly table. Everything was old, and almost broken. She sighed irritably. At least her kitchen furnishings had something in common with her. Great, she thought to herself, she was referring herself to wood. She must be going insane, and she knew who to blame it on. Sephiroth. It had been a week since he was at her house, and he's still taking his sweet precious time recovering. She oughta kick him right now. She sighed. No, she was too fragile-hearted to do that to her former enemy. 

She scowled. She should be more cruel, more stubborn, more…more..oh she didn't know! But she couldn't bring herself to be like Cloud; walking out on someone when they needed her. Great, since when did _Sephiroth_ needed her? She sighed once more. Just then, a moaning sound interrupted her annoying thoughts, and she craned her neck to listen. 

It was coming from Sephiroth's room. Correction, _her_ room. Ever since Sephiroth appeared on her doorstep, she'd been sleeping on her couch. She scowled again, and the moaning increased followed by a sound that was simliar to thrashing. She groaned to herself. It was the fifth time this week, and everytime she had tended to him, he had muttered some incoherent things. She felt a twinge of pity when she looked at him, and wondered how someone so beautiful-looking and angelic looking when sleeping, could destroy half the world…and not feel remorse.

~+.+.+.+~

Sephiroth groaned, and he kicked the covers off himself. He thrashed upon Tifa's bed, and it creaked under the strength of him. He had planned to seduce Tifa, and hopefully through her, he could get his revenge. Use her as bait, he had mused. He didn't know that the poison would torture him like this. He had been incompasitated upon the damnable bed, thrashing with fever. As much as he hated to admit it, he was kind of comforted that Tifa was there by his side. He felt like a little kid again, begging for attention from his mother. 

Three, two, one, he thought inside his head, and as if right on cue, Tifa appeared at the doorway scowling. If he wasn't in so much pain, he could've sworn that he would chuckle. Suddenly, a chill ran over him, and he shivered sending waves of pain all over his body. He gritted his teeth, and gripped the white covers until he could feel his knuckles turning white. 

Tifa rushed to his side, and layed a cool-soaked cloth to his head. She put a small petite hand to his forehead, and she could feel the scorch of it. It seeped upon her palm, and somehow she could feel in her heart. She let out a small sigh once again, and she could feel Sephiroth flinch under her touch. He was so alike in Vincent in some ways, but Vincent surely wasn't as annoying as Sephiroth.

"I didn't want to…" Sephiroth muttered. Tifa froze.

Tifa began to edge away from the bed, but Sephiroth caught her hand in his. She stared down upon it. Her hand seemd so small when placed upon his huge, broad hand. It was muscular around the wrists, and she could see that a long scar ran from his wrist to the middle of his arm. She felt a thrill run up her spine, and she immediately snatched her hand away. Uh-oh. He had it clamped tightly in his. She couldn't tug it away. He was clearly delirious.

"I never wanted to…..wanted to do something great….Je..Jenova….no no..I don't want to anymore." He muttered.

Tifa froze, and her eyes widened. Did he just say what she heard him say? It was incredible. There is more to this man than she thought, Tifa mused to herself. Using one hand, she managed to drape an arm over him to tug upon the blankets so it would cover him. His other massive arm flung up and clamped over her shoulders. She grunted under the force of his weight. 

"What the hell…" She muttered to herself as her face was being mashed up against his chest.

He grunted softly, and muttered again. Now this was an awkward position. She was trapped in the arms of _Sephiroth_, hand trapped in his big massive one, and his arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively. Under any other circumstances, she would call this pleasurable. She could feel his warmth, and uneasy breathing, but he was sephiroth. At least that's what she kept reminding herself over and over. This was sephiroth undernaeth her. All warm, and muscular. Sephiroth.

Sephiroth felt something light on his body, but he didn't care. The pain was too great, and he didn't care if an earthquake happened to occur right now and then. He could feel his pain slowly ebbing away, and something incredibly soft and luscious in his arms. For now, he didn't care, although he had a pretty good idea who it was. She kept squirming to get away from his grasp, but that made it all the more amusing for him. Why? Because for every squirm she tried, he could feel her nestling deeper. His plan was working. 

Inside his mind, he frowned. Too well. He felt this warm sensation, that he could not place, and he pulled her tighter instinctively, hearing a little "oof" from Tifa. He had muttered some things, but even to him, it was incoherent. Damn, he thought. Maybe this wasn't working out so great at all. He wanted to let go of her, and just hurry up with his recovery and leave, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled her closer yet again.

She closed her eyes, and gasped for breath. Gasping for breath because he nearly squeezed the life out of her, and gasping for breath because she never felt so…so..thrilled yet content in her life. Cloud flashed through her mind, and she squirmed again, but Sephiroth pulled her closer. She nestled against him again, and just let everything go. She felt his masculine hands move up to her head, and she could feel him caressing the soft tresses of her hair. It brought comfort to him, she thought. She peered at him through her lashes, and she winced. 

He looked like in so much pain, and deep in a uneasy slumber. Probably dreaming of Jenova, she thought. Now she knew the truth. Jenova had persuaded him, and had probably pressured him into doing things that he didn't want to. As time went by, he was probably used to cruelty. He probably never even felt the touch of warmth and love. Tifa felt a pang of sadness etch through her heart. Underneath her, she could feel his breathing returning back to normal; the rising and falling of his chest bringing her into a sleepy trance-like state. She tried one last time to try and escape his grasp, but he still had her firmly against him. 

She stopped fighting, and just nestled and let sleep overtake her. 

~+.+~

( an hour has passed )

Sephiroth awoke with a shuddering gasp, and calmed into a painless rest. He was awake now, and he could feel that he was embracing someone. He opened his eyes, and stiffened a little. He sighed, when he remembered. It was Tifa who he had held while he slept, and she must've fallen asleep too. She must've gotten too tired, and fallen asleep too. He looked down at her sleeping form in his arms, and loosened his grip on her a bit. 

She looked so beautiful. He removed his hand from her thick, soft hair. It was intwined within the chocolatey brown silks. He was in too much pain, and so he seeked something to comfort him. He must've found the silky touch of her hair soothing. He growled quietly. His plan would never work. Even if it did, it worked too well for his own advantage. No, he would have to leave, he thought to himself.

He stared down upon her. He was beginning to be disgusted by how a pathetic_ human_ could befuddle him so. She was Tifa. He was Sephiroth. It was as simple as that. She hated him, and he was supposed to hate her. It didn't seem to make sense. In fact, he was supposed to hate all humanity. They had cruelly mistreated his kind, and selfishly claimed Earth for themselves. They had used him for malicious things, and yet they admired him and ultimately, feared him. For each resentful thought he rediscovered, he felt himself pushing Tifa away. 

He looked at Tifa more intently now. He frowned when he noticed that her eyes were closed too tightly. She was in an uneasy sleep, and her lips were curved upwards in a child-like demeanor as if ready to cry. She was so vibrant, how could she suffer? How could she dare suffer when he was the one with nothing? With no one? It was he who had lost everything when he had nothing. He then froze. A word escaped her lips, softly, like a whisper. It put his memories in check. "_Papa.."_ She whispered, her breath soft upon his fevored skin. 

Realization struck him. It was he who had caused her pain. It was he who had taken everything away from her. An image of a burning village flashed through his mind, and he felt the intensity of the flames and heard his own evil laughter. He remembered killing and old man with kind eyes which had turned cold when placed upon him. He remembered embedding his own massive sword, which now layed peacefully against the wall, into a young pretty girl with one quick swipe. He remembered a blonde-haired man. 

He knew that Tifa had loved him. He knew everything about Cloud. Where was Cloud now? He would have to deal with Cloud later, for now, he kept thinking that he was the creator of all the suffering that he so selfishly resented her for. It was he. She hated him, and it didn't matter because he was supposed to not care. Somehow, there was no mistaking the empty pit in his stomach, and the feelings he always got when she tended to him and right now, lying in his arms. Safe. But not safe from him.

She was Tifa. He was Sephiroth. Fate would not let it so. _It_ would never allow it, Sephiroth thought with a shudder. He growled, it wasn't supposed to happen like this. He would leave as soon as possible. He would leave before this would get further and deeper. For now, he forgot that she hated him. He forgot that he would soon continue his dark aways. He forgot all reason, and just pulled her closer once again, and letting sleep overtake him into an uneasy sleep again. He would leave before he fell deeper into the depths of wine.

~+.~+~

[ Author's Note : Hey, sorry about this chapter. It's a bit shorter, but I am working on "Squall - The Story of the 'Wind Element'" also. It's taking double effort to continue writing, hehe. I enjoy it nonetheless, and I enjoy getting reviews *hint hint* thank you for those that left comments. I appreciate it. If you have time, feel free to read my other stories. I'm currently working on an original story ( mentioned above ) Thanks! See you next time! ( ffvii not mine, and unless I think of some REALLY evil plans…err..puwaha ) Hope you enjoyed this one! ]


	4. Unwanted Appearances

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Three

. + . Unwanted Appearances .+.

Another hour had passed, and Sephiroth was relunctant to let go. The sweet lavender smell of her hair intoxicated him, and she was still deep in slumber. He glanced over his masume sword, his pride possession. It leaned against the wall, glistening through the dust that had collected upon it. He would have to leave soon, he thought with a tiredness that had nothing to do with his physical state. He glanced at Tifa again, and noticed a strand of silky hair from her face. It was loosely draped over her features, and ran down across her peachy lips. 

He slowly pushed the strand away from her face, letting it slide softly across her lips, and Tifa licked her lips unconciously; Sephiroth's stomach tightened. It was remarkable what Tifa was doing to him and not even know it. He had known women before, hell, he had his own share of flings. But Tifa, oh how Tifa made him desire her by just the mere glimpse. The more she tended to him during this week, the more he had felt this unmistakable urge to be with her and not let go. 

He leaned his face closer to hers in hopes of one gentle kiss, but before doing so, her eyes slowly fluttered opened. He stared into her dark colored eyes. It was a deep, dark brown that could be mistaken for crimson. Near the center, however, were flecks of crimson and they shone brightly. He blinked his eyes in utter amazement. She stared into his green eyes for a sheer moment, taking a bare second to note that the ring that outlined the green orbs were actually more of a rich blue than green. The rest was just pure jade, and she let out a shuddered breath.

When she realized what kind of position they were in, she instantly yelped and leaped up from him before Sephiroth could hold her down again. She narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits and shook a finger at him.

"You! You…you..you--" Tifa began saying, rage overtaking her.

"Pervert? Jerk? Cruel-hearted evil ….man?" He supplied, looking much like an innocent school-boy. Only that didn't work because he looked more of a huge, dashing, dangerous villain, and she was much too angered with him to even bother melting.

"You know very well what you are!" Tifa grunted.

"….." Sephiroth just stared at her intently, smirking.

She hated that smirk. She wanted to slap that smirk off. In fact, for every time he smirked she wanted to take a knife and peel a part of his perfect sculpted lips off. 

"I'm going to the market. I'm hungry." Tifa said flatly, eying Sephiroth. 

He didn't say a word, just kept staring at her, as if daring her to roar again. She huffed and turned out the door. He might as well eat before he go, Sephiroth thought to himself.

"I'm hungry too!" He hollered after her.

Tifa didn't know what happened next. She was sure that it was her body, but somehow it was possessed. She stormed right back in, and the hand that looked very much like hers just happened to reach out for a nearby unfortunate book and she hurled it at Sephiroth. Tifa, possessing surprising strength, missed Sephiroth and severed several chippings of the wall. She huffed in frustration. Sephiroth had dodged with ease, and a little bit like egotistic skill. He was insufferable. She turned on her heels and walked out again, knowing very well that Sephiroth was smirking the whole time.

~+.+.~

"Good day Miss Lockheart, will that be all?" A pudgy, yet kind looking woman said. 

Tifa grinned and replied, "Yes and Trudy, you know how I hate it when you go all formal on me. Just call me Tifa." 

Trudy grinned back, her cheeks flushing a merry pink. She put the remaining bread inside Tifa's shopping bag and handed to Tifa. She then paused for a few moment, studying Tifa curiously.

"What is it?" Tifa asked.

"Well…It's just that. I saw a man the other day, last week actually…coming to your house. He looked quite dangerous. Actually, he resembled Sephiroth, but it couldn't be right?" Trudy said with a nervous twitter. Tifa gulped, and flushed.

"Why no, of course not. It's just a man I'm helping." Tifa replied quickly.

Trudy looked at her worriedly and added, "Well you best be careful. I don't want you getting hurt, Tifa." 

Tifa smiled weakly and nodded relunctantly. She took her food bag and quickly walked out of the store, avoiding furthur conversation. As she walked through the town, she noticed that people were looking at her strangely. No doubt thinking about the man in her house, Tifa thought to herself ruefully. It was all his fault. Actually, everything was his fault. She nodded with satisfaction, knowing that this would all be over once she got rid of him. 

But the thought of his warm arms crossed her mind, and she remembered every detail of his breathing. It was like a few moments of heaven to her, and she had forgotten that she was in the arms of her enemy. She forgot that she hated him, and let herself behave as a wanton. In that moment she didn't care. All she felt was the pure bliss of being in his protection. She sighed with annoyance at her thoughts and headed back to the house where Sephiroth was waiting. 

~.+.+~

"I've come back with food!" Tifa shouted through gritted teeth. She would have to endure his smirks and smart alley remarks for the rest of the day.

Silence.

A wave of sudden panic washed over Tifa, and she dropped her shopping bags and rushed to her bedroom, not knowing why she was so panicked in the first place. She breathed a sigh of relief once she saw that Sephiroth was there; he had fallen asleep while she was gone. She grinned absent-mindedly and looked around her room for the first time in a week. A hint of gleam caught her eye, and she spotted the massive Masume.

She walked over to where it was leaning against the wall and ran her index finger along it's smooth blade. It gleamed wherever she trailed her fingers along it, and she felt the dust collect upon her fingers. She felt an overwhelming sense of hatred come over her, and she knew that it was emitting from the sword. She unconciously skimmed a line from her right shoulder to her stomach with her fingers. 

She leaned forward to grasp the handle. It was thick and the leather that wrapped around it felt gritty against her bare hands. She had wielded Cloud's sword before, and she had handled it with ease. This sword was different, however, because as she tried to lift it up, she couldn't even get it to leave the floor. It's massive weight probably surpassed her own, and it leaned sideways and clanged to the floor causing a ripple of metal clangings.

Sephiroth's eyes shot open and he sat up straight, his back rigid. He glanced around and spotted a guilty looking Tifa on the floor leaning over his…sword. He lept from the bed, and for an ill person, he moved quite healthily.

"Um….breakfast?" Tifa squeeked nervously.

He growled and dragged Tifa to her feet. He narrowed his eyes, and Tifa gulped; suddenly her throat felt very dry indeed. He whipped his head to his sword upon the floor then back to hers. His eyes were cold, and because of it's green intensity she felt shivers up her spine.

"Never touch my sword." He growled at her.

"I…I…it was there and I thought…" Tifa began in earnest but Sephiroth quieted her with a glare.

"You 'thought'. Well that's your problem Tifa. You don't think! You're not fitted to touch it….where's my cloak?" Sephiroth snapped. Tifa was seeing the real Sephiroth right in front of her face, alone in a room with him. He glanced around the room with his cold, piercing eyes and spotted his cloak draped on a post of the bed. He snatched in, and fastened it around his shoulders. He walked over to Tifa, and not even acknowledging her with a glare, picked up his sword and stalked off.

~+.+.+~

Did what just happened….happened? Sephiroth had just walked out on her. In any other situations, she would've lept for joy. If this happened days before, she would've been thrilled and hollering for joy. But now all she felt was an empty pit in her stomach, and she kept swallowing to keep the hurt from erupting into a cry. 'Not fitted to touch it' …what did he mean by that? Was she that repulsive to him? She wasn't weak. Her fighting skills were more than something to brag about, and she wondered why he had said that.

She sat down upon her bed, the very same bed that Sephiroth had layed in, for what seemed like an eternity. She finally decided to head to the kitchn and prepare _her_ breakfast. It was no use sitting around moping for no apparent reason. Afterall, wasn't she _glad_ that he was gone? Wasn't that what she had wished for yesterday? Now that he was gone, shouldn't she be celebrating? Instead, she felt a sense of disappointment and hurt pride. 

When she finished getting through frying the eggs, she realized that she had forgotten to give Trudy instructions for tonight. For a whole week, she had let Trudy manage the bar while she stayed at home and took care of Sephiroth. It was time she got back to her work and her dull life. She sighed heavily, picked up her jacket, and headed out the door. Trudy lived just a little away from Nibielhiem, quite close to the mountains that were behind the little village. She shuddered at the thought, she never wanted to step near it again.

~+.+.+~

"Hmm..that's odd. She's not home today…" Tifa murmured to herself after knocking several times upon a quaint looking door.

She whirled around, and in a blinding second, a clammy hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes flew wide opened, and she recognized that hand in a matter of seconds. It was the same hand she had held while he was utterly ill, and she had mourned day and night. Cloud. He released her and twirled her around. She met the gaze of a two piercing blue eyes, and she knew right then and there that this wasn't the same Cloud that she knew. His eyes told all, and god helped her, he looked as if he wanted to kill her. 

"Cloud..?" Tifa whispered, inaudibly.

Cloud nodded solemnly and grinned maliciously. Tifa whimpered from his grip, but he tightened it more around her arms.

"I can't say that it's not pleasant to see you Tifa. You've grown lovelier, but you see…I need a certain something from you right now…and I'm afraid I can't stay to chit-chat." He said in a low voice.

"What do you need?" Tifa asked, clenching her teeth through the pain of his grip.

"Your life." He said coldly.

He released one hand, and she squirmed to get away, but he clamped her body to his. She felt scared, and although she had dreamed of being held like this by Cloud, this was far more than what she had in mind. He shook his head in a mock-scolding way, and shhhed into her ear.

"Now now…don't resist." Cloud said soothingly, as he took out an ancient looking talisman.

It glowed and emitted the dark color of black, and she felt her breath being sucked right out of her. Her eyes drooped a little, along with her limbs, and she felt emotions she never wanted to feel. Loneliness, coldness, and desperation. The mirror was sucking the life right out of her! She struggled a little, but compared to Cloud's strength, it didn't help much. She closed her eyes, ready for an end to her miserable life, when she heard the swiiish of a metal sword that had been pulled out of it's sheath. A name whispered through her mind. 

__

Sephiroth.

She never felt so relieved and happy in her life, and she sagged against Cloud who had now untightened his grip. He stared wildly at Sephiroth, who was now glaring at him and ready to strike. Tifa knew Cloud was comtemplating on whether to fight or to escape. It was what he usually did when the encountered an enemy that wasn't worth their time and MP.

"Let her go." Sephiroth said dangerously.

Cloud released her, muttered the word 'Escape', and vanished. Stupid fool, Tifa thought. He had drained all of his MP by using that one spell and by luck had escaped. It could've backfired on him, and Sephiroth would have the sheer pleasure of slicing him in half. She felt her knees go wobbly, and she fell. Fell into the darkness when she felt strong arms tighten around her waist. She leaned against the warmth of the man she knew had taken everything away from her yet, given her something she wanted so desperately.

"You came back…" Tifa said weakly.

Sephiroth just grunted, and muttered something but Tifa couldn't hear. Everything had gone into darkness. 

~+.+.+~

[ Author's Note : *Sigh* for the purposes of me not getting killed by Squaresoft…FFVII is not mine. Hey…I can dream..right? Well I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and yes you could've probably guessed by the title that Cloud was to come back in an evil, annoying way. Well reviews are always wanted ( tee-hee ) and I'll see you guys in the next chapter! Bye bye! Oh btw, isn't Sephiroth just way way cool? LOLz ]


	5. Explainations and Company

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Four

. + . Explainations and Company .+.

Sephiroth was seething with rage as he stalked, glowering, all the way to Mt. Nibel. He didn't really know why he chose this path, he just felt like it. He was on his way out of Tifa's life when a familiar voice reached his keen ears. It was Cloud. He scowled. What the hell was he doing here? Had he come back for Tifa? He didn't want to admit it, but he felt something that was vaguely like jealousy. He didn't like jealousy, and he obviously did _not_ like Cloud. Cloud had thought that he had defeated Sephiroth, and at that Sephiroth smirked. It was time to get his revenge, no time like the present, he mused.

But before he could surprise the clodhead, he heard another familiar voice. It was Tifa's. He whirled around the corner and hid behind the leafy bushes. He listened, seethed with rage as Cloud smirked at Tifa, then panicked. He was holding her in a compromising position, preparing to suck her life out with an ancient-looking talisman. He didn't let reason even leave so much as a mark upon his brain, instead, he just emerged from his hiding spot looking _very_ pissed off indeed. He grinned as he saw Cloud visably widen his eyes and gulp.

He scowled as he saw Tifa, shaking with fear with eyes closed tight. In all the times that he had battled her, blinded by his plans, she had never once looked frigtened. She had always looked fierce and determined. Cloud had ruined her. He pulled his sword out of his sheath.

"Let her go." He growled in a deadly tone.

Cloud abrupty let her go and vanished. What the hell was that? He just..disappeared! Tifa didn't look surprise though, but when she came to, he saw her going unsteady and rushed to catch her just in time. 

"You came.." She whispered as she fainted.

"Of course I did." He muttered under his breath quite aware that she couldn't hear him.

-.+.+.+.

He groaned inwardly as he found himself right in front of her door. The very one he had slammed and walked out of in a fury. He meant what he said when she wasn't fit to touch it. He just didn't mean it in the way that she thought he did. His sword was stained with his sins, collected by the blood that had pooled upon it. She was much too perfect now in his eyes to ever wield his sword. Besides, he was a bit touchy when people touched it. He opened the door, it creaked a little, and found himself a big, unpleasant surprise.

Some big, muscled, thug-like man, a pretty young girl, an odd looking lion, Rufus; a shinra worker that he recgonized, and his fath--no--Vincent. Bloody hell. This was just his day. They all stared at him suspciously, narrowing their eyes like uniform slits, and finally Barret growled rudely.

"You're supposed to be dead you scum. What have you done to Tifa?!" Barret roared.

Sephiroth was not at all a good sport. This was enough. He set her down upon the nearest sofa, making sure her head didn't droop and break, and then he turned his professional icy glare at the man. It didn't work. Surely the man was definitely fearless when his friends were in danger. 

"Miss Lockheart here was just saved by me. You should all be thanking my ass." Sephiroth replied smoothly.

Yuffie, the pretty young girl, had to hold back Barret from lunging at Sephiroth. With the help of Rufus of course. Vincent was just watching the scene with a touch of amusement in his eyes. Vincent moved closer to Yuffie, closed his arms around her waist and pulled her back gently. Sephiroth observed them and silently confirmed that the mischievious girl obviously had won Vincent's heart. Sephiroth refused to believe him as his father. 

Sephiroth crossed his arms over his chest and gave a glower that could scare away the evilest of devils. That didn't work either. Yuffie moved over to Tifa fearlessly and examined her friend to see if she was physically harm.

"I assure you that if you find Tifa hurt, then it is not my doing." Sephiroth said chillingly, lowering his icy gaze towards Yuffie. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Vincent tense.

Yuffie wasn't a damsel in distress though because right when he said that, she replied primly with, "Then _you _know who did it, dontcha?"

Brat. 

"If you must know. It's Cloud." Sephiroth said, expecting them to all pounce on him for ever saying that about his friend. They didn't. Instead they looked even more tense.

"….I knew it…I knew that bastard's come for her." Barret muttered. 

It was Sephiroth's turn to stiffen. He had come here to kill Tifa for a PURPOSE? Now this was getting far, and he had no idea why he was so angered. He arched an elegant brow, waiting for an explaination.

It was Vincent who spoke.

"He tried going after Yuff. Yuffie First." He said quietly, noticing his slip up. A blush crept slowly to his cheeks. Yuffie grinned broadly then presumed a serious expression.

Sephiroth wanted to choke. In fact, make that wanted to choke _someone._ "Why?" He said, straining to keep his temper in check.

"We figure he's trying to drain out optomistic souls and souls of people who are happy and caring." Rufus said calmly.

"You figure?" Sephiroth asked clearly impatient.

"At the ShinRa headquarters, with Tseng as the new president, we have been watching over the activity over this continent. There has been a report that Hojo is alive and well. How this happened we don't know. As for further information, I don't know. We were planning to come here to protect Tifa ourselves seeing as how we detected that Cloud was working with Hojo. He's tried going after Yuffie. Yuffie told us that she had felt a helplessness and Depression once the mirror-like talisman activated. We researched the object. It is an ancient object in which the object sucks out the living soul out of a person and harbors it into a dead person, reviving that dead person. We think he wants Aeris. That is all I know." Rufus said. Since when did he become such a damn buisnessman, Sephiroth wondered.

"Whatever. I'll kill him nonetheless." Sephiroth replied not caring if the whole world was listening to him right now.

He picked up Tifa off the sofa, not caring that Yuffie tried to stop him or Barret's frantic attempts to get at him (while being held back by Vincent and Rufus), but the lion jumped on him.

"Get him Nanaki!" Barret yelled.

Damn. He flung the lion off effortlessly. He glared at all of them then just simply said, "I'm taking her upstairs to rest." 

With that, he merely just carried up to her room and layed her down gently. He looked at her intently, and wondered why he was still here. He could be gone. He had plans he still had to achieve. To hell with his plans, a voice in his mind thundered angrily. He didn't want to do Jenova's biddings anymore. He just didn't care. Tifa's life was in jepoardy and whatever hell-driven curse had happened upon him, he just wanted to stay and protect her not really knowing why. Love, however, never even once dared to cross his mind. 

He turned, his cloak made a thick flutter, then descended down the stairs. He was not surprised that the company of fools was still there. He scowled again, and then eyed Rufus. He was calm. Too calm.

"You knew." He growled.

"I had to wait until he carried out his plans. We were planning to..but..didn't get here in time." Rufus said, looking to the floor. He had changed. He had a few gray hairs and his eyes were dull.

"So then you must've known about me." He said. Rufus nodded solemnly. Sephiroth exhaled a shudder. There goes his hopes for concealment.

"All of you should go. There's an inn here and you all know it. Her house isn't big enough for all of you." He said rudely with a scowl. 

They just looked at him in disbelief while Vincent seemed unphased. Yuffie, however, being a girl did not stand for it.

"That was rude! What about you?! What gives you the right to stay here?" She nearly shrieked.

He smirked.

"She wants me here." He said, quite sure of himself.

"Egotistic bastard, I'll rip your head off ya!" Barret bellowed, and once again arms shot out to hold him back. 

"Let's go." Nanaki said. His wisdom alerted him that Tifa would be more than safe with Sephiroth here. Something about Sephiroth had changed. 

Barret muttered a few appalling curses under his breath and stormed out giving the door a good slam, and out followed the others. Sephiroth let out a relieved sigh, and made his way to the sofa. He pulled out his sword from his back, made sure it was leaning properly against the wall, changed his mind, then layed down upon the sofa clutching it to his chest. The sofa was incredibly uncomfortable and guilt stabbed at him for making Tifa sleep on it while he was comfortably warm on her own bed. Clutching a heavy, long, metal object didn't make things better.

He tried going to sleep, and finally let his heavy-lidded eyes close to what he hoped would be a dreamless sleep.

~.+.+.+~

Tifa woke up with the flutter of her thick eyelashes. She felt a cool breeze dance upon her skin as she looked to her right and noticed that her window had been opened. The white curtains ruffled like a thick cloud and she smiled contentedly. For the first time in a whole week and a _day_ she was back on her soft cushy bed. Then, a clattered noise sounded just outside her window. She panicked. She ran to the window to close it but what she saw didn't make her quick enough. It was Cloud, and he clamped a hand over her mouth and pulled himself into her room and pinned her against the carpeted floor. She thanked the stars at that moment that she didn't opt for the wooden floors instead.

"Shh.." Cloud crooned. This was sick.

Tifa closed her eyes tightly, blocking out everythind, and she hoped that this was all just another dream. She opened her eyes again, and she met pale, icy, blue eyes. What was worse was that they were full of malice again. He had removed a hand from her mouth. She thought of screaming, but she desperately wanted to know why he was doing this to her.

"Why..?" She tried to say, but only was able to mouth the words.

He chuckled condescendingly. She hated how he always treated her as if he was her better. 

"I knew you were going to ask that, Tifa. So predictable. So lovely." He said as he traced his index finger along her soft cheek.

She wriggled underneath him, but that didn't work for he was much too strong.

"I'll tell you why, Tifa. I'll let you in on my secret before you say goodbye forever to your soul." Cloud said hoarsely. By god, she thought to herself, he was going to rape her right in her own room _then_ he was going to kill her. Tears silently streamed down her face and Cloud's face twisted into a sick expression that could vaguely be mistaken for sympathy.

"Hush Tifa. Don't cry. I hate to see you cry, you know that. You always did that to me, did you know that? Always so selfish. Keeping me here with your tears. I couldn't bear it Tifa." Cloud said, cradling her. 

"Why?" She asked again. This time, it came out as a little squeak.

"She was so goddamn SELFISH Tifa! So selfish! She died! Just like that! Never revealing to me all the secrets that I needed, never ever thinking about US! How could she Tifa, how could she? I didn't love her, I didn't. I loved you. I really did. I still do. But you see, I need her. She has the secret to the Promised Land. I know she does. I want that Tifa. Wouldn't you want it Tifa, wouldn't you?" Cloud asked her in a frighteningly childish voice.

"You're sick.." Tifa whispered.

"We'll still be together. I'll kill her right after I have all the secrets. I just need your soul Tifa. Damn Yuffie. Selfish too. I hate selfish people! Trudy gave up without much of a fight. She was your friend wasn't she Tifa?" Cloud continued in his childish voice.

Tifa realized why Trudy wasn't there when she had come to her house.

"You bastard.." 

"Why Tifa, Why? All I wanted was a little piece of fame and fortune, that's all I ever wanted. What did I get? Some filthy little village with nothing! That's what I got!" Cloud said, suddenlying sounding very murderous.

"You had us.." Tifa whispered airily.

"It wasn't enough." Cloud said with a firm shake of his head.

No it was enough. At least for her it was. For him, there would always be something missing. She wanted a small little cottage filled with little children, he wanted the world and power. She wanted her friends, and he wanted fame and fortune. She would never give him what he wanted, and his love had began to mean nothing to her. Rejection, disappointment, and sadness all branded her heart and she felt as if it had been trampled by the three words Cloud had just said. More tears.

"With Aeris, I could everything I ever wanted. She has the secret to the Promise Land. I know she does. I'll have everything. I'll have you." He said with a low growl as he layed a finger upon her creamy skin again. She bit. Hard.

He grunted in pain and slapped her with a force that left her jaw numb. He took out something that looked familiar. It was the talisman, she realized in horror. He was going to rape her in her own room _then_ killed her. She screamed knowing full well that no one was going to really hear her. He clamped a mouth over her, and the talisman emmited dusky black aura from it. Images of death and painful memories weaved through her mind and she felt as if her life was draining away. Her muscles were getting weak, and she tried to fight but she couldn't. She felt so hopeless. She felt so..so..utterly and desperately anguished.

~+.+.+~

Sephiroth awoke to what seemed like Tifa's scream. He bolted right out of bed, hauling his sword along with him and moved like a cat for the stairs. He cursed at the lockhearts for even thinking of a stair in the first place. His insides quickened at the thought of Tifa being in danger, and he moved even faster. His legs felt numb, thouroughly panicked, but he kept moving. He finally reached the door with a loud crash and narrowed at his eyes at the man he was going to kill with delicious pleasure. Cloud.

Sephiroth leaped at him with amazing speed, but before they could actually make physical contact, Cloud disappeared. Again. 

"Fuck!" Sephiroth roared, a muscle on the side of his neck drumming against his skin.

He rushed to Tifa's side on the floor, and pulled her into his arms. She was still concious but her eyes were glazed over and she mouthed the words, 'He loves Me'. Sephiroth shook his head violently, and pulled her closer. She cried into his chest, and looked up at him with confused and painful eyes. He looked at her, terror flashed in his eyes and he crushed her to him. 

What if he hadn't made it in time? What if? No, he couldn't let what ifs take a chance at his Tifa. _His_ Tifa. He didn't deny it anymore. He was going to stay and protect her at all costs, not caring at how irrational he was being. He didn't care about his plans anymore. To hell with his plans. He had a new one. It involved killing a specific lowlife named Cloud. It didn't matter that Cloud had tried to kill him and almost succeeded. It didn't matter that Cloud had unfoiled his plans of destruction. All that didn't matter. What mattered was that Cloud had_ touched_ her. He was going to take pleasure in slicing off Cloud's worthless fingers. 

+.+.+.

[ Author's Note : Well now I'm just focusing on updating this story, as for my other story, well so far no reviews, and so I'm kind of discouraged to continue writing it. No one really goes to the orginal section anyways. ^_^ I hoped you all liked this chapter, and I'm glad that you guys are liking the story so far. And yes, I have to say 'FFVII is not mine, and blah blah yadee yadee yadee ya and end with I DON'T HAVE MONEY!' *Laughs* Chapter five will be up soon hopefully. Sorry for all the delay, I had lots of schoolwork I had to complete. BTW, HARRY POTTER RULES AND DANIEL RADCLIFFE IS HOT! Lolz yeah, just wanted to say that. He's actually two years younger than me, but so what? Bye! See you next time! ]


	6. Insufferable Men

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Five

. + . Insufferable Men .+.

~*~ Quick Author's note : Quite sorry everyone for delaying this chapter, but just wanted to make a quick comment. I really appreciate all of you reading my story, and I'm really happy at all the comments I've received so far. I also appologize for not being able to update as often as I like, but I'll try to put up new chapters more often! Arigatou minna-san! Until next time! ~*~ --]] (( Shinju-chan aka Wendy ))

The first streaks of morning light descended through Tifa's window and drops of warmth carressed Tifa's face. She opened her eyes, feeling weak, and she ached all over. She suddenly went rigid as she realized that she was in the arms of someone. Images flashed through her mind as she recollected yesterday's events. She let out a shuddered breath and looked up to see a sleeping Sephiroth. She couldn't help but blush when she noticed how beautiful he looked when he was peacefully at rest. His features never ceased to amaze her.

She gently detangled her limbs from his, and made for the door. She could do it. Just little silent steps, a twist of the knob and she could make her escape. She tiptoed towards the door, and just when she was about to grasp the doorknob, he let out a groggy murmur. She continued to open the door. It was good as done.

"Going somewhere?" A sleepy voice drawled.

Tifa froze in her tracks. Damn. She turned around slowly and plastered a fake bright smile on her face despite the horrible things that she had experienced last night. She was too confused and she didn't want to confront her thoughts right now. Most of all, she was too frightened.

"Good morning!" She exclaimed sounding sickly sweet.

Sephiroth eyed her cautiously then yawned. He crossed his hands behind his head, and Tifa couldn't help but notice how his arms muscles seemed to have rippled. Actually, anything upon his body never left un-noticed by her. Was it her fault that he was heavenly? She blinked twice. Then three times. The thoughts never left her and left her cheeks guiltily crimson. Then she tried to snap herself back to reality. Had he just said something? It looked like he had.

"I believe I was speaking?" Sephiroth said irritatingly.

Tifa blinked rapidly unable to concentrate on anything else except for the way his heavy-lidded gaze was doing odd things to her.

"Oh yes. I was." Tifa said.

"Do you remember anything from last night?" Sephiroth asked. Was she crazy or did she just hear a hint of concern in the tone of his voice?

"…Cloud.." Tifa muttered, not wanting to approach the subject. She wasn't ready yet. Sephiroth sensed this.

"Your friends are waiting at the inn." He simply said. 

It didn't even take Tifa a second before she immediately dashed for the bathroom to refresh herself and then dash out to greet her old comrads. She was excited and she knew they would have answers. Sephiroth was left sitting on the floor feeling more irritated then ever. What? No breakfast?

~.+.+.+~

"They're in the upstairs room." The innkeeper said. Tifa made no time to run upstairs. 

She bursted into the room the innkeeper had said and beamed at five shocked faces, excluding Vincent's of course. Cid was also there, he was too busy with the highwind to come yesterday for the meeting with Sephiroth. Once he had heard the news, however, a stringful of curses trailed out of his mouth. He got a good whack over the head by Yuffie for that. She had promised Shera that and it had become her most important duty. 

"TIFA!!!! IT'S FUCKING GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE! WHERE'S THE DAMN BASTARD OF A BITCH?" Cid exclaimed noisily and immediately jumped out of Yuffie's way. Yuffie narrowed her eyes into slits. Vincent had to cough to stiffle a chuckle.

Tifa laughed and felt mirth bubbling up inside her. It had been so long since she was able to see them, and they could always make her laugh and feel giddy.

"By bastard of a bitch, you're referring to me?" A lazy voice drawled.

Tifa whirled around to see Sephiroth leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were narrowed again. Tifa opened her mouth to say something, but found that she couldn't. She turned to face her friends to open her mouth to say something, but also found that she couldn't.

"Stop doing that, you look like a dying fish." Sephiroth said. 

Tifa gave him a glare but she knew full well that the others were doing it for him. Sephiroth quirked his lips upwards to a smirk and she instantly knew what her friends wanted to do at that moment. To slap him. She tittered nervously and motioned for all of them to sit down. None of them move, however, and all of them crossed their arms over their chests. She coughed nervously, and tried hard to swallow. Her throat had become amazingly dry.

"Well?" Barret said, waiting for an explaination from Tifa.

"Err..well you see..I ..um….well you see it's like this. It started out that way…and then it….ended that way…and.." Tifa stuttered not quite knowing what she was saying herself.

"What the devil are you talking about?" Cid snapped.

"I can explain." Rufus spoke up. All eyes turned to him.

"You see…Cloud hadn't really suceeded in killing Sephiroth, " Sephiroth coughed at this, "Sephiroth however must've managed to emerge from the lifestream, and unmistakinably, some of his powers must've drained away. I believe Tifa has been helping him. We've been keeping a close eye on his whereabouts." Rufus said.

Tifa's eyes widened, "You knew?"

"We did. We just didn't do anything. We believed that if we waited, his plans would reveal itself to us." Rufus said with a nod.

Tifa couldn't believe her ears. What if she was in danger? They would risk her like this?

"We had close security and well trained fighters camped around, Tifa." Rufus said, sensing her distress.

"To hell with that! Why'dya let Sephiroth be in 'da same roof wit' ya anyways?!!" Barret exclaimed.

"Well…I don't know. It looked like he needed me.." Tifa said, not quite sure herself.

"If you all may stop talking about me as if I'm not here…" Sephiroth interrupted, "But how are we going to solve our problem? In other words, how the hell are we going to kill Cloud?" 

"Who said anything about killing him?" Tifa suddenly burst out, unaware of herself. Sephiroth flahsed her an angry look.

"He TRIED to KILL you!" Sephiroth roared furiously.

Her friends just merely stood there because they all sided with Sephiroth on this one. 

"Look. This is too strange. We don't know all the details yet. Former enemies have become allies, and allies have become enemies. Let's all go back to the ShinRa headquarters. I'm sure Tseng as some information for us." Yuffie said, softly, ending the glare contest between Tifa and Sephiroth.

"We are going to send a troop of solidiers to what is supposedly to be Hojo's laboratory soon. Some of us must go." Rufus said.

"I'll go." Sephiroth growled. He would love to get his hands on Hojo.

"I'll go." Barret also said determinedly.

"….I shall go." Vincent said stiffly. Yuffie looked at him then also said she would go.

"No. You stay with Tifa.." Vincent said to her. Yuffie looked disappointed, but nodded in the end. Tifa was surprised, she had never seen Yuffie, the spunky girl, ever yield to anyone like that.

"I'll also go! Time to get some action!" Cid said, jabbing his fist in the air.

"I will go too." Tifa said haugtily.

"The hell you won't!" Sephiroth said, his eyes flashing with pure rage.

"And who the hell are you to say what I can or can not do?!" Tifa spat back.

"I'm not letting you put your life in danger!" Sephiroth said through gritted teeth.

Tifa turned to Barret with an exasperated look. Barret put his hands in the air in a defeated way, and shook his head.

"Sorry Tif, but Imma side with him on dis' one, " Barret said, looking ashamed, "Can't believe the day when me and Sephiroth would be on da' same side." He muttered.

Tifa huffed a frustrated sigh and turned to Cid for help with pleading eyes. He looked away relunctantly.

"Oh no! Not you too!!" Tifa cried out. 

Nanaki hid behind a nearby curtain in order to avoid a yelling from Tifa. Tifa had no choice but to turn to Vincent then decided to forget about it since he just gave her a passive look.

"Rufus! This isn't fair! Why can't I come along? I am just as good as these men!" She cried out, not believing her ears as she detected a whine.

"I'm sorry, Tifa. It is for your best interest that you stay with Yuffie at the headquarters. It'll be better that way." Rufus said resolutely, then he continued, "We shall all board the highwind today at noon. We'll leave as soon as possible, and pack as little as you can." 

All of them started to scatter around the room, getting prepared, leaving Tifa there looking exasperated. She then turned around to face a smug looking Sephiroth. 

"You!" She hissed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Me?" He mouthed, blinking. 

"INSUFFERABLE! ALL OF YOU!…..SEXIIIIST!" She shrieked then stormed out of the room.

Yuffie scurried after her, leaving a chuckling Sephiroth still leaning against the door frame. The men turned to look at him. They clearly still didn't trust him, and he didn't blame them. He didn't even care. He raised an eyebrow at them, daring them to speak to him. No one said a word, except for Rufus.

"You better start preparing too." Rufus said, waving his hand in the air dismissively.

"The clothes and the sword on me are all I have." Sephiroth said emotionlessly.

"Oh." Rufus said, not really knowing what to say, then turned back to his suitcase.

"Rufus. Something's bad has happened. Hasn't it?" Sephiroth asked.

He glanced up at Sephiroth and averted his eyes to his clothing again.

"I can't talk about it." He said quietly.

"Damn it! That's all yeh've been saying! What the hell is going on?!" Barret said waving his arms frantically in the air.

"We'll talk later. At the headquarters….I promise you'll have all the information you need." Rufus said. That was that.

~.+.+.+~

__

Secret Underground laboratory of Junon

"What they have feared shall come to pass. Finally, all will be mine!" Hojo said with a little cackle.

Cloud cleared his throat and glared at Hojo, "Ours." He stated.

Hojo waved his hand in the air and nodded, "Yes yes. Ours." 

But neither of them believed so. Both of them were already planning the demise of one another, and there were no better patners in the world then that of two untrustful ones. Hojo then began pacing back and forth.

"You're sure Sephiroth is still alive?" He asked, his voice anxious.

"Yes. I saw him with my own eyes." Cloud replied.

'Good…good. You shall be in my possesion again, my precious,' Hojo thought with malicious glee. Nothing excited him more than a good speciman. Sephiroth just happened to be his best one.

~.+.+.~

Author's Note : Sorry this story has been kind of moving slow, eh? Yeah well oOOh Cloud and Hojo working together! What's the world come to? Well you'll find out more of their motives soon. How did Hojo come to be alive? Find out in later chapters! Until next time! Ja-ne!

Disclaimer : FFVII isn't mine…lolz yup that's why I'm on fanfiction.net! ^_^


	7. It's Obvious

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Six

. + . It's Obvious .+.

"Tifa….I think you're gonna punch a hole right through.." Yuffie said, wincing as she saw Tifa slam the fourth shirt inside her luggage case, and wondered how much more the case could take. 

"'It's much too dangerous' they say, yeah well I can fight just as well as any of them!" Tifa said in a huff as she slammed a fifth shirt inside.

"We're just worried for your safety..that's all." Yuffie said, her eyes averting to the side. Tifa gave her friend a strange glance. She had never seen Yuffie so serious and so…mature before. When they were companions in battle, Yuffie was always hyper, loud, and well --obnoxious. Now she was composed, and her looks have changed also. Yuffie's eyes were softer and more feminine, her body more developed than it was before. Her brown hair had grown out of that boyish cut, and now extended a little past her shoulders. She looked more poise and elegant. 

"You've changed.." Tifa muttered, still stuffing her case with clothes. 

She had gotten news of her and Vincent throuh letters, and knew that they loved each other. Yuffie had taught Vincent how to love again without fear, and Tifa smiled at the thought of them together living in happiness. She felt a pang of loneliness stir within the depths inside her, but she brushed it away, feeling foolish for being anything but happy for Yuffie.

"So tell me about you and Vincent!" Tifa exclaimed with a wave of her hand, as she tried to sit on the suitcase to make it all fit inside. Yuffie looked down at the floor, and blushed slightly. Tifa smiled a sisterly smile, and motioned for Yuffie to sit next to her. 

Yuffie took her place beside Tifa, and rested a head on the older woman's shoulder. It was sometimes like this between Tifa, Aeris, and herself. The three of them were like sisters, and they had been devasted when Aeris had died. Tifa had cried rivers for Aeris. Tifa caught the gleaming of an engagement ring out of the corner of her eye, and she grinned mischieviously.

"When did he ask?" Tifa asked, suddenly. Yuffie blushed again, and this time much more so.

"Not long ago…I..I said yes. Oh, Tifa! He makes me so happy! He's taught me so many things--I..feel as if I'm not worthy. I'm just a little kid…and..I was always so…," Yuffie tried to say, but tears of happiness choked within her, "Sometimes…I don't know if he's made the right decision." 

"Of course he did! No one can ask for a better wife! You're a good girl. No, let me correct that, you're a _woman_ now and it takes a lot of courage and love to make Vincent Valentine fall in love with you. You love him, and he loves you…that's all that matters." Tifa said, a hint of longing in her voice. Yuffie noticed this.

"Tifa?" Yuffie said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you love Sephiroth now?" Yuffie asked, now sounding very childish. It was her turn to grin mischieviously, and Yuffie did so far more better than Tifa did.

"NO! For heaven's sakes! I would never! The man is arrogant, he's a tyrant, egotistic, sardonic--" Tifa cried out, ticking off the things that she could possibly name about him.

"--And you love him." Yuffie finished for her with a comprehensive twinkle in her eye.

Tifa hmphed, and shook her head furiously as if to repeat the fact that Sephiroth is the last person she should fall in love with. Actually, he is the last person she should've ended up in the arms of, but somehow that managed to happen anyways. She scowled at the thought. Yuffie let out a small giggle, and Tifa's attention turned back to her friend.

"Has Vincent been any trouble at all?" Tifa asked, now concern etched upon her face.

"N--no..not really." Yuffie answered, knowing full well that Tifa was referring to Chaos. Tifa narrowed her eyes suspciously, and frowned deeply at Yuffie. Yuffie gulped, and knew that Tifa would want the truth and nothing else.

"Well…sometimes…when he gets angry, " Yuffie said tremulously, "He--he transforms…but I try and…nothing's ever happened to me yet." Yuffie finished with a little shake of her head. "I love him." She finished determinedly. Tifa smiled warmly, and patted the girl's hand.

"I know you love him, Yuffie. I wasn't saying otherwise..just..be careful okay? I know Vincent is a good man, and judging by your letters….he loves you wholeheartedly. There's no better couple." Tifa reassured her, feeling the loneliness inside her heart again.

"Cloud's betrayed us, y'know." Yuffie said softly.

Tifa remained silent. She didn't know what to say to this because she didn't quite believe so herself. It had been a shock to her, and she hasn't approached the subject yet. Still, she didn't want to. 

"…We'll talk about it later, Yuff. Right now, I want to know all about you guys…it's been so long. Your letters have kept me company, but nothing is quite like seeing you guys again." Tifa said warmly.

"Yeah..we've missed you so much, Tifa. After we heard that Cloud had left…we wondered why you wouldn't come and live with Cid and us…" Yuffie said affectionately. Tifa's heart ached at her words. How she longed to have company. She had been so lonely for these past few years, and she longed for someone. Anyone.

"I…I couldn't." Tifa said, breathing in deeply.

"It's your pride, Tifa. Sometimes…you just have to trust again. Vincent and I have learned to do so." Yuffie said, lifting her head and straightened herself up. 

Sephiroth entered the room, and eyed the two women with a scowl. 

"Are you both ready? We'll be leaving soon." Sephiroth said, his rich, deep voice making Tifa's heart flutter.

"I don't see the use of leaving with _you_, " Tifa muttered under her breath, "Seeing as how you've excluded me out of everything."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"You're to stay with Yuffie." He spat out and walked out of the room with a flourish of his cloak.

Tifa watched him leave, then turned to face Yuffie with an I-Told-You-So look. Yuffie let out a chuckle, and swatted Tifa's shoulder playfully. She didn't like to think it, but she's beginning to like this Sephiroth character. Maybe he was the answer to Tifa's happiness.

+.+.+.+

Sephiroth stalked back to the inn where the rest of the men were still preparing, and he scowled yet again. He felt irritated, and he wasn't in the best of moods. Did it always take this long for them to prepare for a trip?

'Bloody hell,' Sephiroth thought to himself, 'the men are just as bad.' He then proceeded to wait for them, sitting utterly still in a chair.

Sometimes they would look up at him and glance at him with an aura of mistrust, but they didn't say anything further about it. He would just throw them his famous scowl, and go back to his brooding state. There was no chance in hell he would stay with the two girls instead. At leat the men had the decency to keep their mouths shut while they worked. Women tended to squabble on about nothing.

"Yeh sure yeh don't have stuff to pack?" Barret said skeptically.

Sephiroth just merely arched his eyebrow, and crossed his arms disdainfully. Barret went back to packing his things with a stringful of muttered curses. Vincent was the first one done, and soon followed the others. Sephiroth emerged from his chair, looked at Rufus, then said, "I'm going to tell Tifa that we're ready."

Vincent looked as if he wanted to say something, but decided not to. Sephiroth left the room, and walked briskly back to Tifa's house. Damnable group, he thought to himself, he should be a saint by now seeing how patient he had been. This was the second time he had to walk back to her goddamn house. He knocked once. Twice. No answer came. A little surge of panic swept over him, as he turned the knob, relieved to find that it wasn't locked, and dashed up the stairs.

He let out a growl of frustration. Why the _devil_ wasn't the two witless women there? He was definitely going have to be recommended for saint-ship.

.+.+.+.+

"C'mon. They're probably finished with everything, Tifa. Let's go." Yuffie said, tugging on a sleeve of Tifa's shirt. Tifa was wearing a soft, creamy blue sweater and pale blue shorts. She decided to have a change in outfit for once. 

They were in Seventh Heaven, her bar. She had decorated it like a man's paradise. A pool table right in the far corner of the room, complete with two acarde games. It was the perfect heaven. Of course they usually came for a good beer, and to take an occasional glance at their beautiful bartender, Tifa. She had worked hard to rebuild her self-esteem and buisness, and she was damn proud of it. Pity, she had to leave her bar for awhile. She was beginning to her stability in her hometown, and everything had gotten peacefu, if not lonely.

"Hold on, Yuff. I just have to make sure everything is going to be taken care of while I'm gone, okay?" Tifa said, with a quick pat on Yuffie's hand.

Out from the back emerged a young, pretty sabled-haired girl. She smiled brightly as she saw Tifa, and rushed to greet her.

"Miss Lockheart!" She exclaimed, smiling. It was obvious that she admired Tifa.

Tifa gave her a grin, and said, "Oh come on. You know I hate being called that. Just call me, 'Tifa.' Oh and Lilly..I came here on some important news for you. Trudy's mother has taken ill, and so she had gone back to her mother's," Tifa lied, swallowing guiltily, she went on, "So I need you to cover for her. I'm going to be gone for a couple of days. Weeks, tops. Important buisness, you know? Think you can manage it?"

Lilly gave her a bright smile, obviously delighted for having bestowed such an important task. Tifa grinned even broader, and Yuffie noticed a little pride glinting in Tifa's eyes. 

"Of course! Anything, Miss--err--Tifa! Anything!" Lilly exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with a delightful pink.

"Great! Now I just need to--" Tifa began to instruct, but was interrupted by a crash of the door. She groaned, knowing right away who it was.

"WHAT THE DEVIL ARE YOU DOING HERE!!!?" A voice roared.

"I work here, you know." Tifa said lazily, not even bothering to turn around. She rolled her eyes contemptuously. Lilly widened her eyes in horror as she saw a handsome man crashing through the bar, practically knocking over several men along the way. Then in a flash, he was by Tifa's side and took a hold of an arm.

"SIR! If you c-cannot behave…the..then..then leave!!" Lilly screeched, sttuttering as she realized how dangerous the man looked. He eyed her with a look that could've killed. It almost did because Lilly gave a small whimper.

"Don't mind him. He's harmless." Tifa assured her, knowing full well that Sephiroth was going to haul her away any minute.

"Harmless. I'll show you harmless." He growled under his breath. He proceeded to pull her away. She dug in her heels, and he practically dragged her.

"Now wait just a minute! I'm not going with YOU!" Tifa yelled, clearly still angry at him.

"For heaven sake's woman! Are you STUPID! You're coming with me now!" Sephiroth roared.

"NO. I'M. NOT!" Tifa firmly said through clenched teeth. Yuffie was watching with mild amusement and nervousness at the same time.

Sephiroth smirked, and for a moment he seemed to let her go. Big. Fat. Chance. He grabbed a hold of her waist, then her arms, and hoisted her over his shoulders before she could fully protest physically. He then marched out of the bar, and towards where the guys had said they had landed the Highwind. Yuffie trailed behind, giggling like a schoolgirl. Indeed, she was becoming very fond of Sephiroth. She could clearly see it now. Tifa and Sephiroth were just meant to be, and she, in her power, will help. She grinned with a set determination and was anxious to tell her fiancee of this little scene.

It was just too obvious!

.+.+.+.

[ Author's note : A short chapter, but I hope you like it nonetheless. Thanks for being so patient, and chapter six will be up real soon. Probably in a day or so. Well, bye for now and keep in mind that if I own FFVII, then I would've made Sephiroth clones a long time ago for all of us girls here. LOLz ^_^ bye bye! ]


	8. Upon The Highwind

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Seven

. + . Upon The Highwind .+.

"PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!!" Tifa screeched, flailing her arms about. Sephiroth just grunted and held her more firmly.

She gave a huff and just gave up. The men appeared in the distance, and she could already see their puzzled expressions. Vincent looked nonchalant as ever, Barret had a dumbfounded look upon his face, Cid arched on curious eyebrow, Nanaki looked utterly confused, and Rufus--well Rufus just merely smiled. Yuffie hurried over to Vincent's side, and beamed at him. The faintest of smiles appeared on Vincent's face. 

"PUT ME DOWN NOW!" Tifa screamed again. Surely her friends would come help her. Right?

In less than a second, she found herself flat on her butt. With all the dignity she could muster, she held her chin up high, got up to her feet and walked off with a loud "HMPH!". She narrowed her eyes dangerously at all the men and even at Yuffie who looked sheepishly guilt-free. She strutted past them, her chin still high and walked onto the Highwind letting the others follow along in amused silence. Sephiroth, however, smirked all the way up. Rufus stopped and looked at him quizzically.

"Er..you're to be travelling on the Highwind with us?" He asked dumbly. Sephiroth blinked. What, was he an idiot?

"If you're recommending I walk--" Sephiroth began, but Rufus shook his head and let him walk onto the platform of the highwind.

"This brings back memories.." Yuffie said dreamily with a sigh. 

"Yeh. We used to plan all our battles and celebrate victories on hea'. Why…Sephiroth wuda been dust if it --" Barret began to say, but remembered that Sephiroth _was_ in their company.

He threw a glance at Sephiroth, whose face had clouded over. Sephiroth walked away, letting the breeze ruffle the hem of his cloak, not once looking back. Tifa looked after him with concern obvious on her face. Yuffie beamed at this. She leaned closer to Vincent so that her lips were next to his ears. He flinched a little, then eased.

"I need to talk to you for awhile." She whispered. Vincent nodded and let Yuffie lead him to their quarters on the ship.

Tifa began to go in the direction Sephiroth had taken, but Rufus layed a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked at him with the smallest hint of a frown, and smiled at him.

"Hmm?" Tifa inquiried.

"I need to speak with you, Tifa." Rufus said calmly.

"Oh! Sure of course." Tifa replied with a little shrug.

"We'll meet in the meeting room this evening. You still remember where it is, right?" 

"Yeah! Of course I do!" Tifa replied, nodding frantically. Rufus nodded and walked away.

Tifa looked after him with confusion. Why had Rufus requested to speak with her? Probably about the mission and Cloud, she told herself. She was getting too paranoid. Then, she turned in the direction that Sephiroth had gone off to.

She stopped abruptly when Sephiroth came into view. He was leaning across the railing of the ship, gazing intently at the darkening horizon. It was getting dark, due to winter, and so hues of orange-pink and lavender was mingled with the blue sky in the far off horizon. She looked at Sephiroth and wondered in amazement why it never ceased to amaze her how beautiful he was.

His silver hair whipped around his face, and sometimes a loose strand of hair would brush against his face, making Tifa's heart give a little skip. Her gaze lingered upon his masculinely set jaw, and on to his neck where she noted how muscular it was. His adam's apple was most attractive, and she felt her stomach gave a little nervous turn. Of course, she thought to herself, he has such a rich, deep voice. His mako eyes were darker than usual, making it into a dark shade of jade. His perfectly sculpted lips were set into a grim line. 

She took a deep breath and took a step towards him, clearing her throat to motion that she was there. He didn't give any signs of acknowledgement. She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily as she took her place by his side. Like him, she too fixed her gaze upon the far off distance. The gentle, cool yet warm breeze danced airily upon her face and she took in a deep breath. It was like heaven, smelling the fresh air mixed with the faintest scent of salt from the ocean. She gave a heavy sigh of contentment, letting her shoulders rise and drop at the notion.

He stole a quick glance at her and had to refrain himself from ravishing her completely right then and there. It was a wonder what she could do to him and not even know it. He fixed his stare on the horizon even more intently than before, and he felt the same irritation he felt when she wasn't there rising again. It bothered him that he was deeply mistrusted. It bothered him Tifa might even hate him. It bothered him that he might never be able to redeem himself. Most of all, it bothered him that he even cared. He gave a grunt of frustration, causing Tifa to look at him in puzzlement. She then smiled a scolding smile, and looked back a the horizon.

"Giving me the silent treatment too?" She asked, smiling.

"There's nothing to talk about." He replied stiffly.

"I see." She said, pushing herself away from the railling and walking away.

Sephiroth wanted to call after her, but his pride and stubborness would never allow him too. He just kept staring hard at the horizon, not moving an inch until he could hear her footsteps ebbing away. 

.+.+.+.

"Oh Vincent! It's wonderful! SOOO wonderful!" Yuffie squealed in excitement. 

Vincent gave her an affectionate smile, and concentrated his attention on her adorable face rather than what she was squealing about. With all his heart, he truly loved her, and deep inside, he had a little part of Lucretia but Yuffie had a much bigger place in his heart now. He realized that he was going to be in deep trouble if he didn't start listening because she was now looking expectantly as if she had just asked a question.

"Pardon me?" He asked.

Yuffie's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Were you listening to me?" She asked threateningly.

Vincent gave a small nod.

"Liar." She said.

He smiled under his scarf and reached out his arms to wrap around her waist, drawing her close to him.

"So tell me again." He whispered in her ears, and she happily rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sephiroth and Tifa love each other but they don't know it yet." She said.

Vincent nodded to prompt her on. Sephiroth loves Tifa? Tifa loves Sephiroth? This was actually interesting news to his ears, unlike Yuffie's usual rants of materia and other stuff in particular.

"I'm going to help them along." Yuffie said, lifting her head a bit to see Vincent's reaction.

Not a good idea.

"You are?" He asked, his eyes looking at her skeptically. She nodded.

"If you want." He said with a sigh. She beamed at him and hugged him tightly.

She loved how he would let her do anything she wanted, and he supported her whole-heartedly. She loved the freedom he gave her, and the unconditional love they shared. Most of all, she desperately loved _him._

"DINNER'S READYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! WE'RE EATING CANNED FOODS AGAIN!" Cid's voice boomed. 

Yuffie laughed and said, "C'mon Vincent, It's time to be tortured again."

.+.+.+.

"Err--Just a moment Tifa, a word with you if you please." Rufus said, motioning Tifa into the meeting room.

"What is it?" Tifa asked as Rufus closed the door behind him.

"Is it about Cloud? Because..after he left, I know nothing else of his whereabouts….or plans. …Well he did say that he wanted to ressurect Aeris and….fame and fortune. He also…said he loved..me." Tifa said, almost whispering at her last words.

"Well..about his plans, we already have a good idea. 'We', as in the ShinRa. I..wanted to talk about Sephiroth." He said, his eyes glanced towards the side.

"…Oh. What about Sephiroth?" She asked.

"You know we don't trust him. It's best if you stay away from him. We don't know what his plans are and we don't exactly know HOW he managed to escape the lifestream….he might be a traitor. He _was_ our enemy before, Tifa. You must remember that." He told her. Tifa felt anger rising.

"But …but he's changed! AND..and back then! He never wanted to those things! He was pressured! He was mislead…and..lied to!" Tifa cried out.

"He killed your father and burned down your hometown, Tifa. Can you forgive him?" Rufus asked softly, his eyes raising to meet her furious glare.

She looked away hesitantly. 

"I understand Tifa. That is why it is best you stay away from him. I don't think anyone's forgiven him…" 

"No..but he isn't like that anymore." She said softly. "I trust him."

"Trust isn't always the issue. It's whether he's worthy of that trust or not…and of that we don't know yet." Rufus said with a little shake of his head.

"Just keep your distance from him..okay?" Rufus pleaded.

He was right. She would have to stay away from Sephiroth. They didn't know whether he was harmless or really trying to help. She didn't really forgive him completely for his deeds in the past either. Rufus saw the emotions play across Tifa's face, and knew that she had silently agreed.

"Let's go to dinner, Tifa." He said with a boyish smile. She hadn't seen him smile like that ever since she saw him again. 

.+.+.+

"Tifa!" Sephiroth called when Rufus and Tifa was walking towards the dining part of the ship. 

Tifa turned around, and she was suddenly panic-stricken. What to say? She looeked at Rufus, who nodded to remind Tifa of what she should do.

"Um..dinner's ready." Tifa said hastily, and walked quickly off the dining area with Rufus.

Sephiroth stopped in his tracks and frowned. Was it just him or was Tifa trying to avoid him? No it couldn't be, he assured himself and followed the rest into the dining room, praying that it better be a damned good dinner to make Tifa hasten away from him.

.+.+.+

She was definitely avoiding him. Throughout dinner, she wouldn't meet his gaze. He hadn't spoken much. Actually, he hadn't spoken at all, but when he looked at Tifa, she would glance away guiltily. What the hell was bothering her now, he wondered agitated. 

Tifa felt lighthearted besides the fact that she was feeling horribly guilty for snubbing Sephiroth completely. It couldn't be helped, she assured herself as she helped herself to another heap of what looked like canned food. She was a chef, and an excellent taster. Let's just say, this wasn't the best food she had.

"How's the food?" Cid asked, and for a brief moment, Tifa wondered if he had read her mind.

"Err-great." She lied.

"Friggin' liar, but thanks anyways." Cid said with a lopsided smile.

She smiled back and it felt wonderful. It felt wonderful to be among friends again, and she didn't feel so lonely anymore. She found herself smiling a lot more, and she hadn't payed much attention to Sephiroth. At least she tried not to. With every bite he brought to his mouth, she would gaze at his lips only to find that he was staring intently at her, and she would look away blushing. 

They had updated with each other on how they were doing, what they were doing, and stuff like that until all of them couldn't eat another horrible bite. Despite the bad food, this was probably one of the best dinners she's had in years.

Sephiroth was deeply irritated by now. Why the hell was she trying to avoid him? Well he would find out soon. The others were soon retreating to their rooms, letting the workers on the Highwind clean the mess they had made. He barely caught Tifa as she left for her quarters.

"Tifa--" He began, but she was caught off by her fake smile.

"GOOD-NIGHT SEPHIROTH!" She smiled and waved goodbye as she made a mad dash for her room.

Now he was thouroughly enraged. He would have to deal with her later, for all her witless friends were watching him. Yuffie frowned at this. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Tifa was avoiding Sephiroth like the plague. She glanced over at Vincent who just gave her another one of his famous glazed over look.

Well, she would just have to do something about it, wouldn't she?

.+.+.+

[ author's note : One of my longer chapters, ne? I'm actually waiting for the laundry as I am writing this. Hehe, wow two chapters in one weekend, pretty amazing update for me huh? LOLz thanks to all of you who are being so patient with me! ^_^ Disclaimer : …*sigh* FFVII is not mine and yadee yadee ya. Well, see you next time! Ja-ne! *waves* ]

Next update : Hopefully by the 20th or 21st. Oh yeah I'm going to watch LoR 2!! Orlando Bloom ( a.k.a Legolas ) is soOooo hot! He reminds me slightly of Sephiroth only a little slightly less dangerous-looking? Hehe ! 


	9. Jealousy Rears It's Pretty Little Head

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Eight

. + . Jealousy rears its pretty little head .+.

[ Quick note : Hey guys! I apologize to Cloud fans, but hey..for the purpose of this story, he has to be evil! LOlz if you're THAT big of a fan…MAYBE I'll do a little something something for him…if I don't feel too evil *muahah* j/k j/k I'll see what I can do. Btw…Rufus's whole little explaination is coming up, and for Reeves fan out there, he's in the story too! Byeee!]

Hojo paced back and forth, a bemused expression on his sulky face. His greasy black hair was pulled back as usual, and his sardonic look was even more apparent than usual.

"Truman!" He hollered.

A young man, looking very grief-stricken at having been summoned by Hojo, scurried into Hojo's experimentation lab. He winced in disgust as he glanced upon the derranged proffesor's face. He had found no other job and had the misfortune of having stumbled upon this one. He had a family to take care of and when he had tried to back out of the job after finding out how horrible the man truly was, Hojo had threatened to kill every single last relation.

"Y-yes Professor?" Truman nervously responded.

"Cloud's going to go on a mission to bring back a girl to the Laboratory base. I want you to do me a favor." Hojo said with a sneer. Since when could Truman disobey _any_ his favors?

"Of course." Truman replied, a sense of dread coming over him.

"Once he comes back with the girl, make sure she is safe and bring her to me." Hojo said, flexing his bony, yellow-tinted fingers in front of him. 

Truman relaxed a little. That was all? 

"Of course." He replied again and began to head for the door.

"Then kill him." Hojo finished gravely. Truman spun around in shock.

"Don't question me." Hojo simply said shaking his fingers at him. Truman nodded, then with a feel of sickness, he headed out the door only to be confronted by the man he was ordered to murder.

"Truman." Cloud greeted curtly, his blue eyes cold. 

Truman couldn't believe it the first time he met Cloud that this had been the hero that so many people idolized after hearing about his world-saving antics. Now he was an evil man bent on working with a twisted _creature_ like Hojo.

"Mr. Strife." Truman murmured and hurried past him and out of sight.

Cloud walked into the lab and eyed Hojo cautiously with a secretive smile. 

"I have everything planned. I will have Tifa and her soul by the end of today." Cloud said confidently. Hojo nodded with false encouragement.

"Of course you will, of course." Hojo replied, nodding his head vigorously.

Of course he would, Hojo thought gleefully, he would bring back the bait to bring back his precious specimen and then all would be his. Cloud was just a little pawn who was blissfully oblivious to the bigger picture at hand. It was obvious Sephiroth held some attachment to this Lockheart woman, and Hojo would make use of that and then once had his hands on Sephiroth again, he would change it. 

With Cloud dead, he would be more feared than he was before. Rufus was no longer there to stop him. Lockheart looked like the answer to all his prayers. Maybe he will keep her for his own experimentation, he thought happily.

+.+.+.+

Tifa widened her eyes in an impressed manner as she came to the new ShinRa headquarters. It was a castle with stone walls, and it had a grand medieval look to it. Of course everything else looked as medieval as an apple looked orange. Men in white business suits carrying black file-cases were walking all around chatting seriously and kept checking their watches. 

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Rufus murmured behind her. She nodded, not bothering to turn around to look at him.

"I haven't been here before." She said, her voice hinted a touch of awe.

"Yes I know. ..look..Tifa..I never had the chance to actually thank you." Rufus said slowly. This time Tifa turned around and smiled affectionately.

"Don't mention it. There's no more grudges, and I did what I thought was best." She said with a pat on his shoulder.

He smiled at his friend of two years and thought that if he had a straight person's blood coursing through his veins, he would definitely fall in love with this admirable woman. 

"So this is the new ShinRa headquarters." A voice drawled from behind them. Tifa groaned inwardly. 

How did it come to this? How had she fallen prey to destiny and let it toy her without consent? All of a sudden, enemies have become friends and friends become foes. Most shocking was that Sephiroth was now here, and she actually _trusted_ this man. Too bad she can't even come within an inch of him.

"It's time to go Tifa." Rufus said with a nod, picked up his belongings and walked off the Highwind. Tifa followed suit without so much as a 'hi' to Sephiroth.

He caught her arm with ease.

"You've been avoiding me." He said as he spun her around to make her meet his gaze. She looked down at her feet, suddenly developing an intense interest in the color of her white tennis shoes.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked with a growl. He did not like being avoided rudely like this.

"Nothing, Sephiroth. Now if you'll let me go..I have to go." Tifa said curtly with a little snobbish sniff. He let her go hesitantly and she walked off briskly.

He cursed amazingly fluent under his breath and just stood there to scowl.

"Might wanna get a move on there." Cid said, a cigar skillfully tucked between his teeth as he puffed on it, all the while carrying two heavy luggage bags.

"Whatever." Sephiroth replied and followed in the direction Tifa had gone.

.+.+.

Once inside the stone castle-like building, Tifa noticed that it wasn't cold as it looked on the outside. Quite the contrary, for it was cozy and highly comfortable as they walked down the brightly lit hallways of the ShinRa headquarters. The others have already been here, and so of course did not feel as if it was their first time to visit, although they do immensely enjoy their time here. It wasn't as if it was a business headquarter, it was more rather of a luxury home.

"Of course you'll all be tired by now from the flight, so I'll have Ling-Nhi show all of you to your rooms while I talk to Tseng for awhile." Rufus said, as he pressed a nearby button. 

"Ling-Nhi?" Rufus called into the little hole right beside the button.

"Yes, sir?" A Chinese-accented, soft voice answered.

"Please show our guests to their rooms. I believe you were given their room cards?" 

"Yes sir." 

"Good. Come right away." Rufus said, and pressed the button again to close up the hole.

"Ling-Nhi is quite the woman." Rufus said teasingly, his eyes twinkling at Vincent and enjoying it immensely when Yuffie scowled at him.

"Look like she's here already.." Rufus murmured as he heard the clicking of female heels.

Tifa looked at Vincent, who looked absolutely tortured as he kept his eyes on the ground, then at Barret who found something vastly intriguing on the ceiling, and Cid who examined his hands as if they were the most ornate things in the world. 

Sure enough she knew the reason why when a tall, beautiful-raven haired girl walked towards them. Tifa instantly took a dislike to her. She hated everything about Ling-Nhi, and it wasn't jealousy either. Something she couldn't quite place her hands on. She hated the way Ling-Nhi swung her hips back and forth _deliberately._ She hated the way each bounce of her steps would make her long black hair gracefully swung side to side, and she hated her almond-shaped eyes as they scrunitinized Tifa right away. She looked at Sephiroth and felt her blood boil when he was staring quite too intently at her--or rather at the cannonballs that were called breasts. Okay, maybe she was jealous. Just a bit.

Ling-Nhi took her eyes off the shorter, timid-looking Tifa, and smiled attractively at Rufus. She looked over to the men, and sniffed disdainfully, although giving Vincent a good look before resting her eyes on Sephiroth. She licked her lips.

"Oh my. It's a surprise to see you here.." She said airily and Tifa wondered if she had been an actress.

"Oh yes Ling-Nhi, you know that of the data we dug up about Sephiroth, don't you?" Rufus said with a dismissal wave of his hands.

"Yes, but it's much more…surprising..to see him in person." Ling-Nhi said breathlessly, reaching to grab Sephiroth's hands.

Tifa moved between them, vowed to kill that woman if she said any word that had to do with 'surprise' one more time, and smoothly said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Ling-Nhi but all of us are tired, and would like to sleep. Eat too." She clipped.

Ling-Nhi narrowed her eyes, and just merely smiled.

"Well of course..a woman weak as you surely must need rest by now." She replied smoothly. All of them choked, except for Sephiroth who looked merely amused. Was it just him or was Tifa a trifle bit jealous?

"Did I mention that ALL of us are tired?" Tifa asked through clenched teeth.

"Yes yes, come this way." She said, beckoning to Sephiroth specifically.

.+.+.+.

Ling-Nhi had shown all of them their rooms except for Tifa's and Sephiroth's. Yuffie and Vincent shared a room like they requested, Cid shared one two doors down, and Barret shared one all they way down the B hallway. Now they were walking down C hallway to D hallway and hopefully to their rooms. They stopped in front of a room that was numbered, '69' and Ling-Nhi turned to smile seductively at Sephiroth.

"This is your room." Ling-Nhi said, inching closer to him. Sephiroth took a step back.

"Actually, if you notice that his card says otherwise." Tifa said in a falsely bright voice. Ling-Nhi glared at her.

"I don't make mistakes." She spat out, plastered a smile on her face and leaned towards Sephiroth once more.

"It's _my_ room…if you get my meaning." She whispered with a little lick of her lips. Tifa wanted to throttle her.

The nerve of this woman! Right in front of her face too! Tifa wondered why she was angry in the first place. What Sephiroth wanted or didn't want to do was absolutely none of her business. She unconciously gave Sephiroth a fierce scowl as he glanced over her way, and he smirked secretly. He wondered how much he could piss her off.

"Of course I get your meaning.." Sephiroth whispered back, pushing a black-strand of hair away from Ling-Nhi's face. He glanced at Tifa again and was satisified to see the rage etched upon her beautiful face. She looked so god-damn desirable when she was angry.

Ling-Nhi gave a small giggle, and turned to Tifa with a triumphant smile. "Your room is just a little father down. Turn right, then three doors down will be your room."

Tifa gave a small groan and realized that it would be exactly right behind Ling-Nhi's. She hoped that the walls were thick enough to block out any sounds, seeing as how Sephiroth was willing to stay with Ling-Nhi for the night. She was so mad at him, she could probably use her limit break to kill all of them right this instant. She gave a curt nod and stalked off in that direction.

Ling-Nhi turned to Sephiroth with a little provacative grin and beckoned him closer for a kiss. They were inches apart when Sephiroth burst out laughing. Ling-Nhi gave a confused frown.

"You can show me to my room now." Sephiroth said once his laughing ceased. 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're sleeping with me." Ling-Nhi snapped.

"Make me." Sephiroth said, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"Let me tell you something, woman. I do whatever the hell I please. Now. Show. Me. My. Room." Sephiroth growled.

Ling-Nhi gulped nervously, and scurried off into the direction of his room. He smiled broadly as he thought of the way Tifa jealously walked off to her own room and wondered if he should make a visit. A right turn, and then three doors down. Not so far away, now is it, he thought to himself gleefully.

.+.+.+.

Rufus heard the click of the doorknob and looked up at the door expectantly. Tseng walked in and smiled at Rufus. He looked just as he always did with his trade-mark black hair and wise eyes. Rufus swept up towards him for a hug, but Tseng held up a hand.

"How is Tifa?" He asked. Rufus looked disappointed.

"She's fine..all's well for now." Rufus muttered.

Tseng gave a nod, then continued, "Good..you need your rest too. We'll all talk tomorrow..tell them to meet me at the B section meeting room tomorrow at noon." 

Rufus nodded and watched as Tseng walked out of the room. He plopped wearily back down on the sofa he was sitting in, and sighed heavily. Tseng was drifting from him and he didn't know why. It was tearing him apart, but he would hang on no matter what. He loved Tseng. He loved Tseng enough to give up his former goals in life.

He closed his eyes and recalled his memories. The memories of when Tifa bravely saved his life and brought him back to Tseng.

.+.+.+

[ Author's Note : Okie dokie another chapter! Hope you all liked it, oh and I reset the review thing so now those of you who didn't sign up in FF.net can review all you like! Please? LOlz Your reviews are what keep me writing! Well, part of what keeps me writing. Tee-hee ^_^ Well X-mas vacation is here, so expect a lot of updates from me! Byeeee! Hope you liked this one! Please R+R! --ps. OoOoh what is Rufus's secret? What is going on between him and Tifa not to mention Tseng? ] 

PS again -- I saw LOR 2 on Wednesday when it came out in the United States ..lemme just say this--KAWAIIIIII! LOLz it was so awesome, you MUST go see it if you already haven't! Orlando Bloom is even (gasp) hotter ( if that's possible ) ^_^


	10. A Memory Recalled

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Nine

. + . A Memory Recalled .+.

Everything was lost to him. He searched around frantically the dark corner of a bar, his eyes blood-shot from all the unrest he had experienced. Night after night of running away from vengeful men who looked to kill him. They had caught up to him, and now they were looking at him with pure hatred.

"Now, you're going to get your just punishment. Betchu feel fear now dontcha?" A man said scathingly. Rufus held his chin up high and spat at the ground.

The man growled and took a menacing step forward. "Beg for your life. I want you to beg before I kill you."

"No." Rufus said, his blue eyes sharpening.

"Then you die now." The man hissed, and took out his pocket knife. The sharp blade gleamed in the night, and Rufus closed his eyes, prepared for the end. 

He deserved it anyways. In these mere seconds, he realized all that he had done and he had felt the fear that he had caused. He was just getting his fair punishment, and regretted what he had done in the past. His death couldn't even pay back for what he had done.

He waited, but only silence came. He opened his eyes and saw that the man who had been holding the blade had fallen to the ground, and a woman's foot was on top of his back. His eyes wandered up those fantastic pair of legs and into the face of none other than Tifa Lockheart. She narrowed her eyes at him, and swung her foot around to kick another man in the neck. Her fighting skills were exceptional. She put her hands up in balls of fists, and even though she didn't look it, she was damn scary when she threw her punches at the targets.

Her limit break came, her heart was pumping, and one by one she plummeted all of them. Rufus was going to suffer the same fate, she decided with a satisfied nod of her head. 

Sure enough, after a few brief minutes, all the men that had threatened Rufus now lay face down on the dirty ground. She turned to Rufus, and nudged him with her foot, motioning for him to get up. He winced in pain, letting Tifa know that he very well couldn't. She rolled her eyes and groaned. She bent down, grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him up.

"I don't fight people who are not capable of defending themselves." She spat out. Somehow, he knew she was talking about him and how he did exactly that.

"Tifa.." Rufus said hoarsely.

"Explain yourself." She snapped.

"I ..I know I can't apologize for all the things that I've done," Rufus started hastily, but Tifa cut in.

"Actually--that would be a good start." She said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Okay," Rufus began slowly, "I _am_ sorry. I've…got nothing now. I've lost everything.. everything." He murmured, his eyes suddenly prickling, and his throat felt incredibly clamped tight.

The words, 'I've lost everything' struck Tifa like a silk, and she suddenly softened. Like him, she knows how it feels to have lost everything and have no one to comfort her. She knew what it was like to be lonely and have nothing. She turned around and started walking away briskly. Rufus stared after her dumbfounded, and she stopped abruptly and turned around.

"Well?" She asked impatientely, her hands firmly planted on her hips.

He looked quizically at her, and she sighed exasperately.

"You're coming with me until you're recovered." She said, and walked off again. He was still firmly rooted to the ground with confusion. What the hell?

"Hurry up! I haven't got all night!" She yelled, and he hurriedly followed her. She stopped again, causing him to almost crash into her. She looked at him with a fierce glare.

"Don't think that just because I've saved your pathetic, lowly, selfish ass that it means we're friends. Got that?" She snapped. He blinked and merely nodded.

He followed her knowing full well that he didn't quite agree. In fact, they did indeed grow to be very good friends. He never forgot what she did, and her hospitality. In time, she forgave him, and brought him back to ShinRa. He changed into a better person, and has been one ever since. He just wondered when and how he could repay Tifa back.

[ Author's note : Just a little chapter explaining how the friendship between Rufus and Tifa came to be. Hope you liked it, and eventually more explainations will come as the story develops. ^_^ I have *BIG* plans for this story--tee-hee! So keep checking for updates and reviewing! ^_^ ]


	11. Yuffie's Plan A

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Ten

. + . Yuffie's Plan A .+.

Sephiroth lay awake in bed that night, comtemplating on whether he should barge right in Tifa's room and demand an explaination or just go to sleep. He sighed an uncharacteristic sigh. He wondered if Tifa would mind it very much if he just stormed in her room and ravished her. An image of Tifa exploding at him and literally kicking his ass flashed in his mind. He sighed again. She would mind.

Before he could stop himself from thinking such dangerous thoughts, his door (unlocked) was slammed open by a wide-eyed, panic-stricken Yuffie.

"What the hell?!" Sephiroth hollered, snatching up his blanket to cover himself. He had just developed a habit of sleeping stark-naked. Yuffie looked pale and frightened.

"It's Tifa! She's--she's.." Yuffie said breahthlessly and stammering. Sephiroth wanted to throttle her out of impatience.

"WHAT?" He demanded.

"Come quick. You must come quick." She said with frustrated nods, and hurried off into the direction of Tifa's room.

Sephiroth quickly pulled on his pants and a white shirt and tore after Yuffie, panic surging through him. Is Tifa in danger? Had something had happened? He shook his heads of 'what-ifs' and blindlingly ran after Yuffie, swearing underneath his breath. They came to a stop in front of her room, and all seemed to be silent and fine. He didn't leave anything to chance, and without thinking he tore open the door, mentally telling himself to kill Tifa for not locking it in the first place. His eyes searched frantically around the dark room, and looked behind him for Yuffie. 

She had a mischievious little smile on her face and gave Sephiroth a little small wave before quickly shutting the door with a click. She had tricked him, and locked him in with Tifa in the process. He didn't know whether to murder her or thank her. Maybe both, he decided.

He made his way over to Tifa's bed blindingly to find her fast asleep and curled up like a tight ball. She had kicked off her blankets, so Sephiroth gently draped it back over her. He looked at her for a brief moment, and in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and let her sleep the whole night through. He frowned at his thoughts. Since when had he become so tender? 

Without thinking, he reached a hand towards her face and brushed a lock that was draped over her eyes. She stirred, and opened her eyes. 

She screamed.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" She hollered, and Sephiroth quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"ShhH! The whole building will hear you!" He hissed.

She narrowed her eyes at him dangerously. "That's exactly my goal." 

He rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms over his broad shoulders. Tifa wondered if she was finally driven to the point of insanity. Isn't he supposed to be in Ling-Nhi's room doing god-knows what? Actually, she had a pretty good idea on what they would be doing, but she decided it was better not to imagine. Now he was standing there, arms crossed over his chest, and had a look of pure amusement. She wanted to strangle him, and she was going to do it too. 

"You!" She hissed and went for his throat. 

He easily caught her hands, and she squirmed and fought to break free of his incredibly strong grip. He wasn't even trying. 

"You know..I wasn't the one that planned this." He drawled. That caught her attention, and her eyes snapped to his face with a glare.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" She snapped, and started fighting to break free of his grip again. This time he let go, and she sat down upon the bed with a huff.

"Let me tell you a story," Sephiroth began lazily, "Imagine my distress when your impertinent friend, Yuffie, wakes me up from my fantastic dream--of you no doubt-- shall I describe?" Sephiroth lied. He was actually pondering whether he should do exactly what he just did a few moments either or not.

Tifa wanted to kick herself for blushing right there and then.

"Let me see…you were in the most wonderful position. Under me." He continued in his lazy voice, and Tifa knew that her face was probably the color of her eyes. 

"Get to the point!" She blurted out. She didn't want to hear him describe just exactly what she was doing while she was _underneath_ him.

"Pity," He murmured and continued on, "Well where was I? Oh yes--she comes barging in my room while I am naked no less, and tells me that you are in danger. I ran here as quickly as I could, and she locks the door on me. We're locked in here 'till morning, I'm afraid." He finished. Tifa's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"SHE WHAT?" Tifa screeched, and made a mad dash for the door. She jingled with the doorknob, and true to Sephiroth's words; it was locked. 

"You didn't actually think I was lying did you?" He asked.

She growled and turned around to him, and for a moment just stared at him. He was dressed in the usual black pants he wore, the ones that were hidden underneath his black cloak, and he had a simple white tee-shirt on. 'Simple, my ass,' Tifa thought to herself as she noticed how the shirt seemed to emphasize his broad shoulders and chest. How the hell can she see all that in the darkness? Not to mention the muscled plane of his stomach. She mentally kicked herself for looking at him so, and he noticed as her eyes traveled to his chest, and he grinned rakishly.

"You!" She hissed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"You say that too much." He accused her.

"Y--SHUT UP!" She screeched, throwing an object at his head. He caught it, of course and took a dangerous step towards her.

"Oh let me tell you that that's fine by me…I like actions better." He said, smirking. At least, she was _sure_ he was smirking. It was pitch-black in her room. 

"Oooh I wish you would stop talking like that!" She exclaimed hotly.

"I thought you wished for me not to talk at all." He replied, taking another step. It was amazing because she knew exactly that he had taken a step towards her, and she took a step back. She found herself backed up against the door. She cursed under her breath, and wondered why the hell no one had bothered to check up on her. She could've been faced to face with someone dangerous. She laughed mentally, and thought that Sephiroth _was_ someone dangerous.

"I do." She said curtly.

"Okay then, my dear." He said in a condescending tone. Tifa lifted her chin a notch.

"I most certainly am NOT your dear!" She hissed hotly. By gods, she could even SEE him raising one eyebrow in amusement.

"Then whose dear are you?" He asked.

"That's absurd!" She sputtered, as he took another step towards her. She couldn't even move. Traitorous legs.

"Is it?" He whispered softly, and took yet another step towards her. Only three more steps, and he would not be responsible for his actions.

"I can't believe I'm having this absurd conversation with you!" She exclaimed in exasperation.

"I can't imagine I'd want you to have this conversation with anyone else." He bemused. It was true too.

"This is absurd!" She cried out once again.

"You've said that already. You have a tendency of repeating yourself, do you know that?" Sephiroth teased, and took two steps towards her. She gulped nervously and wet her lips unconciously.

"Mmm..hmm." He murmured. He was right in front of her, and he put up both arms to block her from moving away from him. He smiled devilishly.

"I've got you." He said huskily.

"Y..you do?" She mumbled, weakly. All coherent thoughts were tossed out the window.

"You've been avoiding me, Tifa." He whispered so that Tifa could feel his sweet breath on her face and on her lips. She trembled slightly.

"I-I have?" She asked nervously. What had he been saying?

Sephiroth grinned with male satisfaction at having robbed Tifa of all sane thoughts with just his mere closeness. He could feel the heat emitting from her, and wanted badly to take her as his right now. His mind was having a mad dispute with his desires. How can Tifa make him want her this much? He had changed too much. He reached up a hand to stroke her silken cheek. She shivered.

"Why?" He whispered, and she could feel his sweet breath again.

"…W..why what?" She asked, her eyes fixed upon his chin. It was better than looking straight into his startingly green eyes. Bad idea. Her vision wandered towards his lips.

"Why were you avoiding me?" He murmured, taking a strand of silky, lucious hair between his lips. They slid easily across his lips.

"I--I had to." She said, her eyes averting to the side, but Sephiroth took her chin into both his strong hands and gazed into her eyes. He was undone.

She saw the look of pure desire in his eyes and braced her his attack. Well not exactly, 'brace', since she definitely and was positively tingling with..well.._something._ In fact, she wondered what those heavenly, perfect, sculpted lips would feel like on hers. So 'brace' isn't exactly the word. Bloody hell, she was anticipating his kiss. 

He just stared at her, and leaned in closer. She closed her eyes, and felt her traitorous body arch towards his. 

This was wrong, she reminded herself, so very wrong. 

.+.+.+

[ Author's note : *sigh* yes yes I know. I'm back to making such short chapters, but hehehe…I hope you liked this little cliff-hanger! ^_^ Oh--and I can't stress this enough…FFVII is not mine (as far as I know), and please pelase please review! Byeeee! *waves*]

P.S Inuyasha is a great anime people! I'm so hooked on it now! Kagome + Inuyasha all the way! Yahh! 

Next update : Monday or Tuesday (promise ^_^)


	12. The First Mission Plan

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Eleven

.+. The First Mission Plan .+.

She waited for his 'attack', but it never came. She was horrified that the feeling in her stomach resembled too much like disappointment. She was _supposed_ to be avoiding the man. So why is she here, trapped by his body, and nearly desperate to kiss him? She was definitely going insane. She frowned when she noticed that she said that way too often too. She opened her eyes to meet the surprisingly tender gaze of Sephiroth. 

In fact, he no longer looked like Sephiroth. His eyes were softened along with his features. His eyes also had something lurking behind them. Fear and panic. He was concerned for her, she realized, and her heart ached even more.

"Did you know how I felt when I thought you were in danger?" He said hoarsely.

She was too weak to say anything and so she settled for a little timid shake of her head. That was difficult, considering how her head was cradled in his large hands.

"Fear. I ran as fast as I could. I ran as if to save my own worthless life--" He continued on, but was interrupted by Tifa.

"No..no…your life isn't worthless.." She pleaded softly, he shook his head, and removed a hand to put one index finger across her lips. Electricity surged through the both of them. He then cupped her face again.

"I ran as if to save my own life. But no. I was running to save yours." He said and painfully closing his eyes, "God…what if…what if.." He muttered.

He opened his eyes, and Tifa saw a strange look in the way he was gazing at her. It was like he wanted to crush her to him, and never let go. Was this really Sephiroth? No, it couldn't be, and she was absolutely right. He changed, and the cold, merciless Sephiroth that once existed was no more.

"Please..no.." Tifa whispered.

"No what?" He asked softly, moving his face closer to hers. Their lips touched, and Tifa knew no more. 

It was soft, and he brushed it against hers in a feathery light touch. "No ..what..Tifa?" He asked again, looking into her eyes. 

"Kiss you?" He continued his teasing, until Tifa just absolutely couldn't take it. She nodded.

"Too late." He whispered and kissed her fiercely.

He kissed her with a passion that could shame the very depths of Hades hell. He was overwhelmed by a fear that he had never known before when Yuffie came barging in and told him that Tifa was in danger. He was taken over by some non-human rage and fear that he was ready to kill anyone in his path to her side. This wasn't like him at all, and he feared it so. He feared that he was losing his heart. He feared that he was losing his mind.

Most of all, he feared that he didn't want to lose her.

He tongue darted out to trace Tifa's soft bottom lip, and she felt tiny little sparks of electricity soar through her. She had to stop it. She definitely had to. Then why did her traitorous arms sneak up around his neck and pull him closer? She gave a small groan as Sephiroth deepened the kiss. Her mere touch ignited yet another flame inside him, and he wanted so much to just somehow be embedded in her. 

Instead, he let her go with a ragged breath.

His body was still screaming to touch her, but his mind feared to do so. His breathing was uneven, and he fought for air. She was much the same. He took a glance at her and wished he hadn't. She looked magnificent, and thoroughly kissed. Her lips were even fuller and much more rosy. He groaned inwardly at her puzzled and dazed expression. What on Earth had caused him to kiss her?

"I'll sleep on the floor." He muttered. Tifa shook out of her dazed state and shook her head.

"No….you can have the bed.." She murmured. The words had come from her lips. The ones that had been kissed by Sephiroth. Only that much was left inside her mind.

"No. You sleep on the bed. I'll be fine." He snapped, and walked over to the far corner and curled up to sleep. 

He opened one eye and noticed that Tifa was still standing there gaping at him.

"Damn It, Tifa! Go to sleep!." He exclaimed.

"Fine." She grumbled and walked slowly to her bed. She was amazed she could still walk.

She lied down upon the bed and did the only thing she could do. She stared up at the ceiling. Suddenly a jolt of memory hit her as she realized that they would be planning for their first mission soon. They had excluded her and she would have to stay here with Yuffie. 

'Well if they think that, they've got another think coming.' Tifa thought to herself. She would find a way to sneak into that mission whether they like it or not. 

She stared at the ceiling with a fierce determination. That lasted for about two seconds before Sephiroth's kiss emerged in her mind, and she wet her lips unconsciously. This was going to be a long night.

.+.+.

Yuffie woke up with a start the next morning and broke into a huge, wide grin. She looked down at Vincent and was not surprised to find that he was staring straight at her.

"You have no shame, you know that?" He murmured. 

"None whatsoever! How did you find out?"

"You sneaking out in the middle of the night could only mean one thing." Vincent said, stifling a yawn.

Yuffie leaned down to give him an affectionate peck on the lips.

"And what is that?" She asked.

"Trouble." He said as a matter-of-factly and she laughed. "You're silly." She said.

"Of all the things to call me." He said, sighing exasperately. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"What is it?" Yuffie called out, "Don't come in, I'm naked!" She screeched along with it. No shame at all, Vincent thought to himself proudly. Well it wasn't exactly a lie either. She WAS naked….lying next to a naked Vincent. 

"You're to come meet in the Section B meeting room in about thirty minutes. It's almost twelve!" A familiar voice said. Even if the voice was a bit muffled because of the door that was standing between the hallway and the room, Yuffie instantly knew it was Reeves.

"Reeves!" She exclaimed, leaping off the bed and pulling on her clothes as quickly as possible. Vincent also did the same.

She thrust open the door, and found a lopsided grin pasted on Reeve's goofy face. "Hiya, Yuff." He greeted and was crushed by her friendly embrace. 

"Woah there. Don't want Vincent chopping off my head do ya?" He joked. Yuffie playfully punched his shoulder. "You know Vincent isn't like that."

Vincent appeared behind Yuffie and gave Reeves a friendly handshake. "There's a meeting?" He asked.

"Yeah! Tseng and those people are waiting for us. And get this--we had to unlock Tifa's room to let her out. SEPHIROTH was in there." He said gravely. Yuffie snickered.

"R-really?" Yuffie asked, trying hard not to laugh.

"Yeah! I mean..Sephiroth and all! Who would've thought!" He exclaimed, scratching his head confusedly. Yuffie laughed and she nearly cried from it.

"Hold up Reeves, give us a few minutes to freshen up, 'kay?" She said brightly after laughing her head off.

Yuffie and Vincent got ready in about five minutes, and let Reeves lead the way to the B Section Room. 

.+.+.+

"Why do I get to come and Tifa doesn't?" Yuffie asked shyly as she looked around the room and didn't see Tifa, "I wasn't allowed to go either." 

Tseng gave a pointed look at Vincent and smiled at Yuffie indulgently, "Vincent would've wanted you here."

Yuffie stood there grinning from mile to mile. Sephiroth came in with a scowl on his face (surprise surprise) and he looked directly at Yuffie. She had to stiffle a chortle and gave Sephiroth a cheery small wave. Vincent seemed to be having trouble with the air also, Yuffie noticed with a secretive smile. Sephiroth noticed that now that he had entered the room, all eyes were on his.

"What?" He snapped.

"Well!" Tseng exclaimed to break the awkward moment, "Let's begin the meeting shall we? It's about the first mission. We're to leave tonight."

Barret choked on the coffee he was drinking.

"TONIGHT?" He nearly yelped. Tseng nodded at him.

"Reeves? The slide please." Tseng said. Reeves imediately set up the slide and the floor plans of a building was shown before them. It was labeled, "Junon Secret Lab".

"The sooner the better. Tonight will give us the advantage of surprise attack." Tseng explained, and Barret looked a little bit less confused.

"We'll go from the back here. Security is less tight there, and we can't attack from the sides because that will lead us right into a trap. Seems like Hojo as some ferrocious animal kept there. We wouldn't want to deal with it right when we come in." Tseng continued in a business-like tone, and pointing to a square that looked like the back entrance to the building.

"There will be three teams. Team A, Team B, and Team C. They will be lead by three different people." Tseng said, and barret nearly leaped up. He looked apologetically at Barret and continued, "Sephiroth, you're the leader of Team A, Rufus, Team B and--"

"Wait a minute. Who said I wanted to be leader?" Sephiroth asked lazily.

"Who said we cared about what you wanted?" Tseng replied back smoothly. Sephiroth growled, and Tseng continued on.

"Afterall, Team A's objective is Cloud." Tseng added pointedly, "Rufus told me everything."

"Now Team C will be lead by Red XIII" Tseng said and looked at Nanaki for approval. Nanaki gave a nod.

"Team B's objective is switching off the main power,and Team C's objective is taking care of Hojo. If a team should fail, we will send in backups. Any questions?" 

There were no questions.

"Now it's time to set up the teams. Team A will be consisted of Cid, Vincent, and Sephiroth of course. Team B will be of Barret, Rufus, and Reeves. Reeves just happens to be a specialist in electronics and things like that in general, and Team C will be of Red XIII, Ling-Nhi, and Simon." Tseng said and finally pointing at a short blonde-haired man that was standing shyly away from the group.

"Get as much rest as you can. We leave tonight at midnight. Meeting's adjourned." Tseng finished.

"Wait--aren't you going to explain to us about the mirror?" Nanaki asked.

"The truth is..we actually have no further information than what Rufus have probably already told you." Tseng replied with a weary sigh.

"What?! That bastards been leadin' us on?!" Barret shouted, waving his arms frantically in the air. Rufus gave an apologetic smile.

"I was misinformed." He simply explained. 

Then they all left out of the room with Yuffie speeding down the hallway towards Tifa's room.

.+.+.+

[ Author's Note : I know I know..boring chapter…^^ Next chapter will be up soon! Action coming up! ]

FFVII is not mine…*sighs*


	13. Sneaking Onboard

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Twelve

.+. Sneaking Onboard .+.

[ Author's note : Hehe, I said that the company didn't trust Sephiroth didn't I? Yes well, I never said TSENG didn't. ^_^ Well, don't worry about the plot..keep reading and you'll find out! Although I must say, It's entertaining to have readers wonder and be skeptical! I can't blame ya, I'm a crazy little writer with lots of evil thoughts running inside my head. Muwaha! ^_^ JuUuUST kidding! Oh and for Rufus (yes he's gay…lolz it's not that much of a surprise.) Any complaints? Comments? Requests? REVIEW! ^_^ ]

Sephiroth looked around confusedly. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing. Why the hell didn't he? He growled in frustration and wondered how the hell he was going to put up with this for the mission that he didn't remember volunteering for. His impatient, jaded, green eyes fell upon Rufus and he decided to ask.

"Rufus. A word with you if you please." Sephiroth said as he cleared his throat to catch the attention of a passing-by Rufus.

"Oh. Yes of course. What is it?" Rufus said, not looking at all like he wanted to talk to Sephiroth.

"That's what you call a meeting?" Sephiroth asked in a superior tone.

Rufus looked highly confused at what Sephiroth was saying, then his expression changed to someone who looked as if they just had discovered something forgotten. Inddeed he had.

"Oh that's right..you weren't in your room all night." Rufus said, narrowing his eyes slightly. He did not like the idea of Tifa and Sephiroth together. In a room. All. Night. Long. 

"We didn't do anything." Sephiroth growled impatiently. Now _that_ was a lie. The memory of Tifa's soft lips upon his flashed in his mind and it suddenly felt hotter in the room to him.

"What kind of meeting was that?" Sephiroth changed the subject quickly.

"If you were in your room the whole night, you would know." Rufus replied smoothly, idly examining his fingernails. 

He cast a subtle glance at Sephiroth's retreating back as his cloak fluttered with every thundering step he took. Rufus sighed heavily. How the devil was he going to keep Tifa away from him? Or worse, how was he supposed to keep Sephiroth away from Tifa? If only he knew that Yuffie, one of his now close friends, was against him on this one.

~.+.+.~

[ Side note : Watch out for a sequel to Wine Mixed With Blood! ]

.+.+.+

Tifa blinked three times and looked at Yuffie incredulously. Did she just hear her friend correctly? Yuffie had the details of the mission and was willing to share? She blinked twice again rapidly.

"Oh Tifa, stop that! I'm not kidding! I wanna go just as much as you do!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"….You're not by any chance…setting me up…are you?" Tifa said suspciously. 

"Of course not! Since when did I ever?" Yuffie replied, offended that Tifa would ask such a question.

Tifa gave her friend an Oh-Really-Now look, and Yuffie remembered her little plan yesterday. Okay sure, she _did_ set Tifa up a little. But only just a little. She searched her trouble-making mind frantically for a reply that would smooth things over.

"I set Sephiroth up. Not you. Never you!" Yuffie said with a reassuring nod. "Honestly!" She added when Tifa still stared at her disbelievingly.

"Okay…so tell me. I know you're dying to go with Vincent." Tifa said with a bright smile. She was willing to forgive Yuffie in exchange for details of the mission. 

The kiss traveled across her mind again and unfortunately across her lips as she remembered how wonderful Sephiroth's lips felt. The sad thing was, it was her first kiss. She had never been kissed before, and it was ironic that the person to give her that first kiss was Sephiroth. Tifa snapped back to reality when she realized that Yuffie was looking at her impatiently.

"Were you listening to a word I've been saying?" Yuffie asked in exasperation. Tifa gave her head an apologetic shake.

Yuffie sighed heavily, and replayed what she had heard in the meeting room the Tifa. Tifa was lost in comtemplative thoughts for a few brief moments before planning with Yuffie.

"That's funny..how come they didn't say where we'll be going or…what will be our means of transportation?" Tifa asked slowly. Yuffie thought of this too.

That was funny. Tifa was right! They didn't mention a single word about any further details of the mission. Both of them thought of this mere seconds before Yuffie exclaimed, "Of course they would use the Highwind! As for why they would leave out any more details..I have no clue." Yuffie said with a deflated sigh.

"You say that they'll be leaving at midnight?" Tifa asked.

"Yup. Looks like we have about…..ten hours." Yuffie said, checking the clock on Tifa's drawer.

"Okay we'll pack and get ready. But pack light because we'll have to sneak onbaord earlier than midnight and stay on the ship until the mission is ready to executed. You stay in Vincent's, and come out only when the ship has left for its destination a good distance away from here. I will stay in--" Tifa began in a military-like tone.

"SEPHIROTH'S!" Yuffie squealed and doubled in laughter. Tifa gave her a glare.

"The hell I won't! Anyways…knowing Rufus and Tseng, they probably hid some things from us. They probably went over things with Vincent and the others before leaving us in the dark like this. When they take off, we'll follow Team A seeing as how Vincent is in it." Tifa said.

"And Sephiroth." Yuffie chirped, and was silenced again by another glare.

"Okay. Plan set. We'll worry about other things, but for now we have to pack. We'll have to wait until a little past midnight to come out of hiding…" Tifa said and trailed off. She was a little doubtful of Yuffie's ability to stay still in hiding for long periods of time.

"We'll have a hell of a time finding the Highwind." Yuffie stated, and Tifa nodded simply. It would take hours for them to find it in this large of a place.

.+.+.+.

Sephiroth glanced at the manual that lay before his eyes. So this was waiting for him in the room while he was in Tifa's? It had detailed plans for Team A including a floor plan and a letter from Tseng himself.

__

Sephiroth,

The information on how and why you managed to escape the lifestream still remains a puzzle, but we're working on it. --Sephiroth felt a surge of annoyance shoot through him. When did he give them permission to nose around his buisness? He read on.

__

I know the others don't trust you, at least not yet. I trust you regardless because we monitored your activity while you were in Nibelhiem with Tifa. One of our gaurds, while lurking around, saw you save Tifa from Cloud. Your mission is NOT to kill Cloud, do you understand? You are to bring him back here for questioning. Harm him if you must, but bring him back alive.

Tseng.

Sephiroth's eyes were clouded with anger. He was never meant to follow orders.

.+.+.

Vincent looked around his room. He had gone off to check some things with Tseng and had hoped to talk to Yuffie about taking care of Tifa while she was to remain here. She wasn't in their room, and he wondered where she had gone off to. A realization hit him. She was going to try and sneak onboard. He felt pride swelling inside him. He loved her troublesome streak, and he wanted her on the mission as well. This was working out well. Damn, if only she had told him about this he would've gladly shared the details of the TEAM A plans with her. 

.+.+.+

A good nine hours and exactly thirty minutes later, Tifa and Yuffie were puffing and huffing. Three hours of going over things, packing, and going over things all over again. Two hours of sneaking around the large and massive headquarter to search where they had landed the Highwind. Three MORE hours of getting distracted by a restaurant that was directly inside the building; afterall they were famished and after they finished eating one thing, they ate another. One hour and thirty minutes later, they found themselves on the Highwind with two small satchel bags for each of them. 

Tifa's contained her 'Premium Heart' glove and Yuffie's new and improved weapon called, 'Death Star' (side note : Yes I made it up). It also contained two outfits for both of them. Tifa gave Yuffie a bright triumphant smile, and Yuffie returned hers with a mischievious one.

"Finally! We made it!" Yuffie beamed with pride.

"Yup! Okay…do you know where Vincent's room is?" Tifa asked. Yuffie gave Tifa a confident nod.

"He stays in the same one everytime we're on the Highwind." Yuffie assured Tifa.

Tifa gave her friend an affectionate smile before suddenly hearing footsteps boarding the ship. Yuffie, however, looked clueless as she complained about why they didn't just keep the ship where they had landed before instead of moving it.

"Shhh!" Tifa interrupted.

"Wha-? Ohh." Yuffie replied, realizing that people were starting to get on the Highwind.

She snatched Tifa's hand and quickly darted in the direction of Vincent's room. Then they stared at each other as they tried to figure out where Tifa should stay. 

"…I don't know where the others' rooms are, Tifa." Yuffie said with an apologetic smile. They had left that little part out. 

"Too late." Tifa said in a hushed whisper as she quickly darted inside a room across from Vincent's while Yuffie darted inside Vincent's room.

Tifa looked around the room. She hoped it wasn't Ling-Nhi's room because Yuffie had told her that Ling-Nhi would be going on the mission too. She felt a prick of jealousy as she wondered why the hell couldn't she go on the mission and Ling-Nhi could? The room was plain and near a bedside table was a small closet. She looked at the large-sized bed, and then she froze.

On top the bed's mattress was a name tag that had _Sephiroth_ written across it in elegant font. She groaned at her stupidity and cursed under her breath. She should've known. At the way fate was playing her, she shouldn't even be surprised.

__

Thud Thud Thud

Tifa stiffened. Somebody was coming down the hallways, and possibly in this room! She scurried over to the small closet and stuffed herself in, thanking gods above that it was big enough for her. She heard the turning of the door knob and the closing of the door. The heavy footsteps told her that it was none other than Sephiroth. She heard his footsteps a good distance away from her, and heard the clanging of metal against the wall. 

Then, she held her breath. He was coming closer to the closet. She felt her lungs begging for air, but she was much too scared to even breathe. She searched her panicked mind for an excuse as to why she was in here when he had discovered her. She felt his heavy presence looming right in front of the closet now.

His hands brushed against the handle of the closet door and Tifa felt a panic chill run down her spine. She _was_ going to get discovered and _he_ was going to kill her for her little stunt.

[ Author's Note : Ahhh a sweet little cliff-hanger. ^_^ I'm so sorry, it was just too tempting. Well, please please please review!!! Hope you guys had a good Christmas! Happy Holidays everyone! *waves* ]


	14. The Trouble With Tifa

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Thirteen

.+. The Trouble With Tifa .+.

[ A/N : GAH! I just realized I've idiotically been seplling MASAMUNE wrong! Grr I'm sooo sorry guys! ]

Sephiroth stepped inside the dimly lighted room and his eyes roamed the room for inspection. All seemed to be well, but he felt a growing tension in the air. He made his way around the room, and leaned his Masamune against the wall. He walked slowly to the closet that was made for long-trips purposes and opened it. To his surprise and utter rage, he found a guilty looking Tifa scrunched up right inside it.

"Surprise?" She squeaked weakly.

He took her by her upper arms and yanked her out and gave her a fierce shake and said, "What the HELL are you doing here?!" 

"…I…uh..got lost?" She suggested with a weak smile.

"Try again." He snarled and walked towards the door to lock it. Tifa gulped nervously and searched the room frantically.

"Explain." He drawled as he crossed his arms over his chest.

.+.+.+

"Yuffie you can come out now." Vincent said smugly as a guilty-looking Yuffie emerged from a closet looking similar to the one Tifa was in.

"Err--how'd you know I was here?" 

"I'd be surprised if you weren't." Vincent replied smoothly, and Yuffie beamed at him.

.+.+.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WANTED TO COME ALONG! YOU WERE SPECIFICALLY TOLD NOT TO!" Sephiroth roared at her as he took quite too many steps towards her.

She backed away from him nervously, and said, "But how come I can't?!" 

"Arguing's not the best way to go right now, Tifa." He warned. Too late, her temper was already igniting too.

"No really! WHY can't I go?! Ling-Nhi got to go! WHY CAN'T I?!" Tifa wailed with a stomp of her foot. She knew she was acting childish, but damn it she didn't care.

"Listen to yourself!" He shouted. "It's DANGEROUS!" 

"I've been in worse situations!" She screamed back. That somehow hit a chord in Sephiroth's temper and he was now utterly enraged. 

He strode right in front of her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "That doesn't make me feel any better." He hissed.

"I'm not aware that I was trying to." Tifa replied with a disdainful sniff.

"TIFA! YOU ARE THE MOST--" Sephiroth roared but was instantly cut off.

"SHHHHH! THEY'LL HEAR YOU!" She hissed at him and he gave her an incredulous glare. She SNEAKED onboard and now she was afraid that people will hear them arguing? He struggled to keep himself from giving her a good shake.

"Do you think I gave a damn?! I'll tell Cid to turn this Highwind right back, do you hear me? You're going back!" Sephiroth growled and made for the door.

Tifa stopped him and grabbed his hands in hers. Warmth and electricity shot through the both of them and he threw her a fierce glare, but she still didn't let go.

"Please. Let me stay." She pleaded, her eyes soft and warm.

"No." He said firmly.

"Please." She said taking a step closer.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and they both froze. "Who is it?!" Sephiroth snapped.

"It's me," Replied a soft feminine voice, "I came to check up on how you were doing."

"I'M FINE." He replied through clenched teeth.

"Do you need any company?" Ling-Nhi asked seductively.

__

Boy this girl doesn't give up does she? Tifa thought to herself, frowning. Sephiroth smirked confidently as he stole a glance at Tifa.

"Maybe later." He replied smoothly and was satisfied when he heard Ling-Nhi's clicking footsteps growing faint and finally disappearing.

"SEE?! You're willing to LET her stay!" 

He gave her a confident smirk again and snaked his arms around her waist, his face so dangerously close to hers. Their eyes locked for few intense seconds, and he broke into a lazy grin.

"You're jealous." He stated.

Tifa stared at him in a bewildered fashion.

"I am not!" She hissed back, "You can do whatever you want with her for all I care! Oooh! Men are all alike!"

Sephiroth was still grinning.

"You think she can make me feel the way I do when I…" He said and he left her hanging by a thread with his words.

"You..what?" Tifa whispered, entranced by the slow movements his lips made.

"When I do this." He whispered back before kissing her passionately.

.+.+.+

"So no doubt, Tifa is or was with you then?" Vincent asked his fiance. Yuffie gave him a quick nod.

"Where is she?"

"In the room across from yours. I have no idea whose it is. I was hoping she would stay with Sephiroth…" Yuffie said looking a trifle disappointed.

"Well you're in luck. That happens to _be_ Sephiroth's room." Vincent murmured amusedly.

.+.+.+

Tifa groaned softly as Sephiroth deepened the kiss. When he knew that she was jealous of Ling-Nhi's attempt to seduce him, he had thrown all dignity and self-control out the window. He was simply bent on ravishing her tonight before the mission, and then he would delightfully kill Cloud. Life could not get any better, he thought with great satisfaction. 

His hands instantly found the silky comfort of her hair and he nudged her towards his bed. She broke the kiss abruptly and just simply stared at him through her thick eyelashes.

"Sephiroth?" She whispered quizzically.

"Hmm?" He murmured as he nuzzled her neck.

"I'm not jealous." She repeated again, and he chuckled into her ear and found her lips again.

"The trouble with you, my lady, "He whispered huskily when he broke the kiss again, "Is that you get into trouble a little too often."

His body pressed into hers unabashedly and she felt just how much he desired her. Suddenly a knock came at the door again, and they broke apart relunctantly.

"Who is it?!" Sephiroth nearly roared.

"It's Rufus. We've arrived." 

"Already?!" Sephiroth called out.

"Yes, get ready. All three teams should be ready in less than ten minutes." He replied urgently and Sephiroth could hear his footsteps leaving.

"Damn," Sephiroth growled as his eyes traveled to Tifa's, "You're staying here."

Tifa broke out of her dazed state. "Oh no I'm not!" She replied haughtily.

"Yes you are." Sephiroth replied back as he snatched his sword from the wall and disappeared out the door with a soundly click.

Damn it all, he had locked her in.

.+.+.

[ A/N: Ah I'm so sorry! Such a short short chapter! Next chapter will be longer, I promise! Anways, I hope you liked this one and please continue to review! I really appreciate it you guys! Thanks! Bye! ]

Disclaimer : FFVII and its characters are not mine.


	15. Betrayal or not?

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Fourteen

.+. Betrayal..or not? .+.

[ a/n : Thanks to all who keeps reviewing my story! I really appreciate it! Actually, thanks to all who actually READS my story lol! Oh and I commend Lady-Diane for being so brilliant! Read on and you shall find out what she had figured out! ]

"Sephiroth..you lead your men down there." Rufus whispered urgently as the all three teams sneaked towards the back.

Sephiroth gave him a curt nod and started to wave Vincent and Barret. "Actually wait a minute.." Rufus called out hesitantly.

He indicated to Ling-Nhi and she walked over to Team A's group. "Ling-Nhi will have to switch with Barret. Seems like she prefers it so."

"I'm sure she does." Came a muffled reply from behind one of the darkened walls. The men turned around and aimed their guns at that one particular spot. All except for Vincent.

"No! No! It's me! Just me!" Squeaked an innocent-looking Yuffie as she emerged from her hiding spot. 

Rufus gave an audible groan and rubbed his throbbing temple. If Yuffie was here, no doubt Tifa was too. "Tifa…you can come out now." He drawled. But there was no reply. Sephiroth just merely smirked. 

"Oh..okay well she's not here then. On with the mission. Yuffie you go with Vincent, and by all cost damn it--"

"Stay out of trouble. I know I know." Yuffie replied with an indulgent smile.

"Oh and Vincent?" Rufus said turning his eyes on Vincent's.

"You know what to do right?" 

Vincent gave him an understanding nod and stole a glance over at Sephiroth. Yuffie and Sephiroth both frowned. There was something going on, Yuffie surmised, and she was going to find out! Rufus then proceeded to hand everyone some materia and they inserted in the slots. Three magics, one cure, one remedy magic, and two gfs. They were also stocked with a minimal amount of potions.

Team A left in the opposite direction as the other teams and Sephiroth's mind wandered back to the locked-in Tifa and he smiled triumphantly.

"You locked her in didn't you?" Yuffie hissed. Sephiroth just merely replied with an arched eyebrow.

.+.+.+

"Oh by gods, he acts as if I'm some damsel in distress!" Tifa huffed. 

She reached inside her white tennis shoes and extracted a small needle-like pin and raised it up in the air as if it was gold. She was going to show that egotistic, overly confident…jerk! 

"Hah! I win, I win, I _win!_" She muttered with a grin and started to pick the lock. 

A few clicks here and there and suddenly the door was unlocked. She grinned wickedly and walked right out into an empty Highwind. She looked around as she walked down the hallways and noticed that they changed the Highwind quite a bit. She found the exit stairs, and walked down as quietly as she could. The night seemed to make her footsteps sound louder than it really was.

She looked around and then at the dark, iron, black building that stood in front of her. It looked like some sort of laboratory and wondered how the hell Hojo managed to achieve it. She stalked carefully to what seemed to be the back entrance.

.+.+.

"Okay looks like we're in the main power switch room." Reeves said with an exhausted sigh.

The room was littered with tiny of red, blue, and green buttons with dozens of small computer-like screens. Reeves let out an impressed whistle as Rufus started looking around frantically. All of them were dressed in black pants, black shirt, and a black overcoat. Reeves had tried suggesting they go in as the security gaurds, but they decided that it was too risky. 

"Maybe it's that big thing over there." Cid pointed out. Right in the middle of all the little mini screens was a larger one.

Reeves walked over to it and looked around for the button and he found one that seemed to match the big screen. He pressed it and suddenly, an image of an empty lab showed up. The lab glowed an eerie green because of the computer screen and it had tons of jars with human body parts. Reeves felt nausea wave over him and uttered a disbelieving curse.

"Holy shit!" Cid cursed, "I think that's Hojo's lab!"

"Yeah….yeah..I think so too. Now how the hell are we going to find the right buttons to turn off this whole god damn building.." Reeves murmured.

.+.+.

"You're not going anywhere!" A harsh voice shouted as many men were faced against Sephiroth, Yuffie, Vincent, and Ling-Nhi.

"We'll see about that." Sephiroth replied cooly and pulled out his Masamune. The lead guard widened his eyes in realization.

"It's..it's Sephiroth!" One of his men cried out.

"Who gives a fuck who it is! ATTACK!" The leader cried out as he whipped out his sword.

[A/N: I invented some attacks and GFs for Ling-Nhi and Sephiroth, btw]

"'Ice Three!'" Ling-Nhi shouted and the gaurds were suddenly attacked by the ultimate ice attack.

They looked weakened and some had fell to their doom, but more gaurds came. One of the gaurds, who had sneaked from the back, attacked Yuffie from the back. Vincent gave a panicked cry, and he felt Chaos emerging slowly. Yuffie winced from the pain, and yelled "Greased Lightning!" The man dropped down quickly from the limit break, and Yuffie turned around to plead Vincent with her eyes.

__

No, no! You mustn't let him out! Vincent nodded at Yuffie and concentrated on the gaurds and with perfect aim, shot down some of them. 

.+.+.

Tifa looked in horror as she was faced to face with many, no, almost dozens of gaurds! She was even more shocked to the point of paralyzation when she realized who was standing right in front of all of them. Cloud. He looked at her with an amused smile and indicated to the other officers to handle her. She quickly put up her fists to reveal that she had put on her Premium Heart gloves and was ready to fight.

"Careful boys. She can be a formidable opponent." Cloud warned and the men nearly scoffed. She was just a woman.

Two men lunged at her and she skillfully gave a flip in the air and kicked one of them right in the head with her left foot. He went down quickly, temporarily unconscience. The other man quickly attacked her with a punch but with her martial arts skills, she quickly blocked it and made a lower punch for his stomach. He reeled in pain, and stumbled backwards. She narrowed her eyes warningly at the next opponent. This time, Cloud came up to her. She felt fear and panic rising within her, and most of all heat. Heat from the limit break that was slowly rising.

"FINAL HEAVEN!" She screamed and unleashed her most powerful attack on Cloud.

He only merely stumbled back and wiped a trickle of blood that trailed down from his lips and grabbed her wrists. With a skillful manuever, he quickly removed her gloves and threw it at one of the men.

"Truman, keep these for now." He shouted and held Tifa's wrists firmly. "You, my dear Tifa, are coming with me."

.+.+.

"Sephiroth watch out!" Yuffie screamed as a guard prepared to strike Sephiroth with his club.

Sephiroth quickly dodged out of the way and with a soundly swipe, he slashed the man that tried to attack him. Blood trickled down his blade, and he looked around him. About ten gaurds remained, and he felt very ticked off indeed. Whilst he was fighting, there was something nagging at the back of his mind. Was Tifa alright? Of course she was alright, he had locked her in! He didn't feel so very confident about that anymore.

When he was fighting he felt a painful tug at his chest and he instantly knew that something was wrong. Something was wrong with Tifa. He glanced wildly at Vincent and found that Vincent was also looking at him.

"Vincent! Can you handle all of them with just the three of you!?" Sephiroth shouted over the gun shooting. 

Vincent shot one of the men that was to the side and looked around. Sephiroth frowned. Ling-Nhi was nowhere to be found. His eyes traveled to Yuffie, who was easily fending off two gaurds with her new weapon, but no Ling-Nhi. He growled suspiciously and knew exactly what had happened. He then snapped his eyes back to Vincent and he did not find a pleasant surprise. Vincent was looking at him strangely.

Vincent brought both hands to his gun and aimed right at Sephiroth.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sephiroth asked and an uneasy feeling settled in his stomach.

__

You know what to do right? Rufus's mind echoed in his head while an image of Vincent nodding took over Sephiroth's mind.

Vincent pulled the trigger and the bullet sped out right at Sephiroth.

.+.+.

[ A/N : I don't know why I always do this! It's just way way way too tempting! ^_^ Well review please! I was planning not to update until I get at least over 100 reviews! ^_^ I know I know..demanding author..*sighs* what to do with me? Hehe Well I hope you enjoyed this one! Byeeee! ]

[ Disclaimer : FFVII belongs to Squaresoft ]


	16. The Start of Panic

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Fifteen

.+. The Start of Panic .+.

The bullet took an amazing flight and missed Sephiroth's head by a fraction of an inch. Sephiroth exhaled a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. He whipped around to see that Vincent had brought down a man that was trying to strike Sephiroth while he was distracted. He turned around at Vincent and a ghost of a smile touched his lips.

"Can you?" He repeated his earlier question and Vincent gave him a nod.

Sephiroth sped past the men, deciding that he didn't have the time to deal with them, but only came faced to face with more stupid men. One guard tried to lunge at him. Big mistake. Sephiroth punched him with a soundly crack that could only be the fracturing of an eye socket and the man stumbled backwards. Sephiroth then continued to make a clean swipe of him with the Masamune and only smirked at the blood that dripped slowly down. He ran towards the direction of the Highwind and stopped in his tracks when he spotted a room and a form of someone all too familiar.

__

Hojo.

Anger won over reason as he dashed inside the room. Hojo turned towards him and gave him a haunting smile. No chance, Sephiroth thought to himself savagely as he raised his massive sword and swung.

.+.+.

"Oh shit which button, which button?" Reeves asked nervously. He had never come with his situation before. But then again, he'd never seen so many buttons before in his life.

"Just fucking press one." Cid suggested impatiently. He really needed a damn cigarette.

.+.+.

Nanaki curled up in the air and sprung forth, his hind legs kicking some guards in the process. Hojo was nowhere to be found and it looks like they're a little lost in this large building. Simon was having a tough job of everything and got injured rather than doing the injury himself. He wasn't a fighter, Nanaki thought to himself wryly, he was a damn kid. Barret on the other hand, was having no trouble at all. The bullets that sped out of his gun-arm had amazing efficiency and effect.

"How the hell do we find the bastard?" Barret yelled over the gunshots.

"How the hell do I know?" Nanaki retorted. Cursing wasn't like him but he was so irritated with everything right now that he pretty much didn't care.

.+.+.

"Where the hell are you taking me?" Tifa hissed as she felt Cloud close behind her back, holding her wrists in place.

"Somewhere, now shut up and be a good girl." Cloud replied harshly and his hold on her wrists tightened.

.+.+.

Sephiroth frowned. The sword went right through him! It must be a hologram, Sephiroth decided disappointedly. This wasn't going too well and he frowned deep in thought. It was as if they had _expected_ an attack and had fully prepared. If they had expected it then--

A growl. 

Sephiroth's head whipped in the direction of the sound and he met a pair of dark garnet eyes. It had a figure of a human form, but Sephiroth couldn't be sure. He gripped his Masamune tighter and narrowed his eyes for a better look. No. It was definitely not human. When the creature snarled, fangs bared and its mouth frothed unattractively. A scar ran deep across the cheek of the creature and a wart was protruding out of its forehead. It was walking slowly towards Sephiroth and then suddenly sprang to action as it made a mad leap to attack him.

"Fire 3." Sephiroth murmured coldly, and the fire took a considerable amount of HP away from the creature. It advanced upon Sephiroth and it's fist flew out and Sephiroth dodged it with ease.

"If this is all Hojo can do then this is pathetic." Sephiroth muttered.

Another growl.

Sephiroth whirled around and two more faced him. _What the hell?_

__

'Doesn't matter, I'll fuck them up anyway,' Sephiroth thought to himself grimly.

Yet, another growl.

'_Now this is getting stupid.'_

Three more came into view and they all attacked Sephiroth at once. Sephiroth shrugged off his cloak and used it as a weapon against one that was attacking his right side, smacking it with the thickness of his coat. It got flung off of him and he elbowed another from the back in the eye and it staggered back before advancing upon him again. His hp went down by 100 and his limit break went up. 

"Fury." He simply said and rose up in the air, raising his sword high above his head.

He brought it down upon the cold floor with a thundering crash and red slashes vibrated from the sword across the floor. It sliced into all of them, neatly swiping them all into little pieces. One by one, they dissolved acidly. With a smirk, he fastened on his cloak with a flourish and disappeared towards the Highwind.

.+.+.

"Red…for stop? ..Green for go. Yeah that's it.." Reeves chanted to himself, sweat glistening on his brow.

"Damn it just choose one." Rufus muttered.

"I can't! What if..?" Reeves contained his cool and smiled at Rufus, "No problem. I'll figure it out, don't worry."

.+.+.

"TIFA!" Sephiroth bellowed as he opened the door with a vicious yank. 

An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach when it wasn't locked like it was supposed to. He was going to _kill_ her if she hadn't already gone and done that herself. He blindingly sped down the hallways of the Highwind and off into the laboratory again. He hoped she was safe. 

Safe so he could rip her head off.

Lost in thoughts and his legs racing towards the building, he didn't notice that he had gone in the wrong way. Now he was faced to face with about a dozen of guards. They all looked at him and reached in for their weapons. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes dangerously, all reasonable thoughts were tossed out the window and replaced by the hunger to kill every stupid man that dared to stand in his way.

__

'Not now, boys.' He thought to himself as he glared at the men.

.+.+.

"Cloud, let me go!" Tifa cried in a strangled voice. Her wrists was hurting like hell.

Cloud just sneered and reached inside his coat. He frowned as he rummaged through the pockets and found nothing there.

"The talisman!" He uttered in horror.

__

He had woken up to a rustling sound inside his bedroom but when he looked around he found nothing. Rustling sound….

Someone had stolen the talisman! Cloud's thoughts raced in bewilderment and he looked at Tifa in puzzlement. Her eyes were clouded over with anger and yet he saw no fear amongst the crimson and mahogany depths. That bothered him. 

"….Damn it. Let's go." He growled as he hauled her towards a flight of stairs.

Her legs stumbled as she had troubled fighting against his insistent dragging up the short case of stairs and they rounded a corner. "Cloud, just let me go." Tifa pleaded.

He looked at her and closed his eyes in agony. Truthfully, he didn't _really_ know why he was doing at this instant. He just knew he had to do it. His lips curled up sinisterly, letting the visage cover up his indecisiveness.

"My my, Tifa. Since when did we resort to begging?" He said with a leer.

"If you were a man, you'd let me fight." Tifa spat at him.

"In case you haven't noticed, you can't win a battle against me." He said smugly.

Tifa's eyes glanced at the figure that was approaching them but decided not to comment, instead her eyes narrowed into slits and she seethed. 

"In case you haven't noticed, we've never fought a battle against each other." She retorted back.

"You're much weaker than I am." 

"Let. Me. Go." Tifa said through clenched teeth as she twisted and turned, but all that gave her was more pain in her wrists.

"No. We're going to put you somewhere 'till I know what to do." He replied curtly.

"You mean until you know what to do _to me._" She added bitterly causing Cloud to chuckle.

Bastard.

Cloud rummanged through his racing mind for what could've happened to the talisman until it all came down to one name. Hojo. He had probably taken it, and before Cloud could think any further, he felt a cold, hard, metal object pressed into the back of his head.

.+.+.

[ A/N: My my..how evil I am. ^^ You're not going to kill me now are you? Hehe..well hmmm reviewing would **surely** quicken the pace of the update of the next chapter..*hint hint* =) I appreciate all the reviews I've been getting *getting tearful* You guys are so great! *Sighs* I just looked up FF12 and Yuna looks very ahem..revealed. Noooo……!! Whyyy whyy whyy!? Okay, well hehe enough of my babbles, bye bye and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! P.S YAY! I reached over 100 reviews! Thanks guys! I really appreciate it! Keep on reviewing, thanks!!!]


	17. Is It Love?

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Sixteen

.+. Is It Love? .+.

Sephiroth gripped his sword tighter and ran his fingers along the cool crimson orb of the GF materia that he was assigned to. It was Shiva, he noticed as he felt the icy-cool chill that wavered through him. His mind concentrated and in several seconds, he disappeared altogether from the scene. He was in total darkness, as it had always been when one summons a guardian force. The place felt like ice and he could see a blinding blue flash. Shiva had just performed her attack and then he re-emerged in the scene to find that only ten more guards stood firmly in place.

They were the stronger guards, he mused. He barely manages to dodge a bullet when one of them shot at him, and he was glad that only one of them carried a gun as a weapon. 

"Fire!" One of them shouted.

Sephiroth felt hot sensations run through him, but the pain was only minimal. His HP went down by 50 and he cursed under his breath. 

"Ice 3!" Another shouted.

Damn, they were summoning spells to quick for him to react and before he knew it, his HP was down only to 1,000. He ran towards one, twirled with his sword and made a clean cut across the guard's chest. He felt another spell hit him. It was thunder 3. The pain was minimal to him for he was used to these kinds of attacks, but his HP was dropping like flies. He was relieved when he felt gunfire erupts and the rest of the nine men fell.

Barret had aimed his gun-arm at all nine and let fire. Sephiroth had never been so thankful before for the man. Nanaki looked at him and sniffed slightly, and the Lion-like creature could tell that his HP had dropped heavily. Nanaki lowered his head and lifted it up a bit, and a blue aura circled Sephiroth. He felt warmth and it radiated through him. He had never been cured by anyone before and the effects of Cure 3 were surprisingly gentle and warm. He felt his energy being rejuvenated and he nodded his thanks, causing Barret to mutter something like 'whatever' under his breath.

"Tifa's gone." Sephiroth stated quickly, and Simon, Barret, and Nanaki looked at him quizzically.

"I locked her in my room and she broke free." He explained and Barret and Nanaki didn't look surprised.

"You locked her in!? SHIT! You should've BARRICADED HER IN!" Barret shouted, waving his arm frantically in the air.

"I don't know where the hell she is!" Sephiroth growled, raking a hand through his long silver hair.

Nanaki glanced at him and wondered why Sephiroth would even care in the first place. Barret, however, seemed oblivious by Sephiroth's sudden act of chivalry and started pacing around nervously thinking of where Tifa might be.

"The floor plan! Do you have it?" Nanaki asked.

Sephiroth reached inside his cloak and brought out the manual that had been left in his room. He scanned the floor plan, and noticed that the control room was not so far from here.

"We'll go to the control room. That's where they keep all the monitors." Sephiroth said, feeling slightly relieved.

"Simon!" Nanaki barked, "Go find Vincent and the others! Tell them to head for the control room."

"Yes, sir!" Simon replied enthusiastically and sped off.

"That Ling-Nhi woman is gone too." 

Nanaki looked at Sephiroth and understanding flickered in his amber eyes. The three of them took off at an amazing run, with Nanaki and Barret following close behind Sephiroth. He looked at the floor plan then at the original scene, turned at the right corner, and barged right into a room finding a nervous-stricken Reeves and an impatient Rufus and Cid.

"Turn on the monitors!" Sephiroth snapped.

"Wha-?" Reeves uttered, bewildered.

"We've been set up." Nanaki said gravely and Reeves nodded, his eyes searching frantically for the right button.

"Oh damn it, just push something!" Sephiroth growled and he hit a purple button.

Suddenly, all the monitors flashed one by one to reveal separate rooms.

.+.+.

"Release her." A man's voice warned.

Cloud smiled sinisterly as he slowly released Tifa. Tifa stood there bewildered. Wasn't one of Cloud's men? Her puzzled eyes flickered from man to man and noticed that the new man that had just arrived on the scene was shaking slightly, his handle on the gun wasn't firm.

"Truman." Cloud said, his voice promised something deadly.

"T-turn around slowly." Truman ordered nervously.

Just as quick as a flash of lightning, Cloud turned around and gripped the gun by its revolver and yanked it away from Truman. Now it was Cloud who was aiming the gun. Cloud's grin spread evilly.

"Tell me, Truman. Did Hojo set you up for this little stunt?"

"…H-he made me do it! I swear!" Truman begged. Cloud loved it when people begged.

"Where is he?!" Cloud asked harshly and Truman yelped.

"He's in the Wutai--" Truman said and eyed Tifa before cutting off in mid-sentence.

"I see. Give me your cell phone." Cloud ordered and Truman gave him the silver cell-phone shakily.

"You can go." Cloud said with a false smile, and Truman walked away slowly.

'Poor idiot', Tifa thought to herself bitterly.

"Oh and Truman?" Cloud called.

Truman turned around and Cloud ended his life with one bullet straight to his chest. Cloud chuckled deliciously and caught Tifa backing away from here.

"Uh-uh-uh!" Cloud teased wagging his gun.

He then pressed it straight to Tifa's temple, causing her to stand stiff in one place, her breathing ragged with fear. Cloud flipped open the cell-phone and dialed.

"Come quickly. I have a treat for you." He said into the phone and then flipped it close.

"You bastard.." Tifa whispered and Cloud pressed the gun harder to her head.

"Don't tempt me Tifa." Cloud warned.

A few seconds later, Tifa heard the characteristic clicking of heels and her heart thumped. 

"Yes, Cloud?" A familiar, sickly, sweet voice called out.

"Take her to the dungeon." Cloud replied coldly.

From the shadows emerged a smug looking Ling-Nhi and Tifa's hands itched to slap the bitch. She never liked the pathetic woman, not even once! Ling-Nhi's eyes narrowed in mock scorn towards Tifa and smiled with great satisfaction.

"My, my, look at what we have here." Ling-Nhi teased.

She brought a long fingernail to Tifa's chin to tilt it up and smiled mischievously. Tifa glared at her and Ling-Nhi just merely chuckled amusedly at the sight of Tifa looking angry and spiteful.

"Looks like my cat and mouse chase is over." Ling-Nhi clucked through a sick smile.

"Bitch, fuck you!" Tifa hissed and Cloud chuckled approvingly.

"I'd rather not. Maybe you can talk to Sephiroth about that." Ling-Nhi replied coolly, then squeezed Tifa's chin with her long elegant hand.

"You push my buttons. I push yours." She warned and let Tifa go, leaving a red nail marks on Tifa's creamy cheeks.

"Take her to the dungeon. I'm going after Hojo." Cloud muttered and thrust her towards Ling-Nhi.

"With pleasure." 

Ling-Nhi drew forth a rope and with the help of Cloud pressing Truman's gun against Tifa's head, they bound her up and Ling-Nhi led her away. Tifa looked back at a smirking Cloud, and looked forward into darkness where Ling-Nhi dragged her to some dungeon. 

.+.+

"Vincent, sir!" Simon called as he caught Vincent and Yuffie running down a hallway. They whipped their heads in his direction.

"Come with me to the control room, right away!"

Vincent nodded, and they sped off after Simon.

.+.+

Dungeons, Tifa can handle, but from the looks of the icy-like room she no longer felt confident. Ling-Nhi gave her a shove before closing the metal door with a slam and locking the door shut with a click. There was no keyhole from the other side. Tifa looked around and she shivered tremulously from the cold that was erupting through her. It was probably less than thirty degrees in here, Tifa thought to herself bitterly.

__

'I'm going to freeze to death. Ah, great. I can just hear Sephiroth now; 'Hah -I told her so.' Tifa thought to herself wryly.

This was no typical dungeon. This was a friggin' ice-room! Tifa slumped against the wall in a corner and concentrated on warm thoughts. Bullshit. _That_ definitely didn't work since the fangs of the chill kept sinking its teeth into every portion of her body. She suddenly felt very sleepy and tired, indeed.

__

'No! Stay awake. STAY AWAKE DAMN IT!' 

She sighed and wondered how the hell she ever got here in the first place. Oh yeah that's right, her stubborn streak. It was also her stubborn streak that kept Sephiroth inside her house instead of out of her life. One broken heart is enough, she mentally told herself, and you don't need another. Not from a guy who had taken everything away from you. She suddenly felt very sad too because she noticed that all the guys that she loved had paid back her love by leaving her empty and broken. 

__

'Guys? Oh get a grip, Tifa. You don't love Sephiroth………do you?' Tifa sighed wearily and let her head fall against cold metal. Her eyes were beginning to droop and she knew that once she closed them, it would be forever. Stay awake, Tifa chanted to herself, stay awake. That didn't seem to work because she closed her eyes before murmuring the one name she dreaded to remember.

"Sephiroth…"

.+.

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed darted around the dozens of screens until he narrowed his eyes upon one. One where he spotted a fragile looking female sat, nodding off to sleep in a room that looked normal, but something wasn't right. The girl was shivering. He walked closer to the screen and with one look, he tore out of the room, clutching the floor plan to his chest and his Masumune dangling from the sheath from his back.

"What the hell?" Cid muttered and peered into the screen that Sephiroth was looking at.

"HOLY SHIT! IT'S TIFA!" Cid exclaimed and the others clamored to take a look.

"What the fuck are you waiting for Reeves? Turn off the fucking power!"

"CID HIGHWIND! Do I hear you cursing in there?" Yuffie's voice boomed, and Vincent and Yuffie appeared in the doorway panting along with a happy-go-lucky looking Simon.

"Tifa's trapped in a room that looks like some sort of ice-dungeon!" Barret exclaimed, panic-stricken.

"Well what're you all waiting for! Let's go!" Yuffie shouted.

"Sephiroth's gone after her, " Vincent stated as he looked at the readable expressions on each person's faces, "Hojo's not in the building. I know of this."

"Where could he have gone? Our team was supposed to look for him, but we couldn't find him." Nanaki asked more to himself than the others.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out." Rufus said gravely.

"Any signs of Cloud?" Reeves asked Vincent. Vincent shook his head.

"Damn!" Reeves exclaimed and pounded a fist down on a red button.

"OH SHIT!" Reeves shouted worriedly, but just then he noticed that suddenly all the lights that seemed to flicker on the monitor screens went on and all the lights in the control room went on.

"……Fucking hallelujah! You just shut down the laboratory!" Cid whooped and slapped Reeves's back soundly.

.+.+.

"Tifa!" Sephiroth growled as he viciously sliced down the metal door with ease.

His eyes searched frantically for a hint of russet hair and he found her. Tifa was slumping against the wall with her hands tied behind her back and her head was nodding off. Sephiroth's breath nearly caught in his throat and he dashed towards her.

"Tifa! I've come for you, wake up!" Sephiroth urged.

Tifa gave a small groan and opened one eye painfully. At that moment, everything was clear to her. The moment she most dreaded ever since she laid eyes upon Sephiroth again had just come to pass. Her heart melted and not only did it melt, it soared. The moment she was so afraid of felt like heaven. She was glad he was here, in front of her and by her side and his presence caused her so much happiness, it felt like _love._

"Sephiroth…you came.." She whispered hoarsely.

His hand reached to touch her face and he murmured, "Cure 3." Tifa felt a slight tremor of warmth surge through her and she closed her eyes comfortably. The room didn't feel as cold as it did before, and the aura of the spell floated all around her, making her feel alive and refreshed. She reopened her eyes and blinked several times. Sephiroth untied her then got to his feet and started to look around the room, then at the door in which it had a slice right through due to his Masamune. 

"I'm going to kill her." She muttered, and Sephiroth grinned genuinely for the first time.

She decided that Sephiroth looked most handsome when he smiled, and she smiled back at him. 

"Here." Sephiroth tossed two heavy objects at her.

She caught them with ease and her eyes widened with happiness as she recognized them as her Premium Heart. She looked at Sephiroth and wondered if she could ever forgive him for his deeds in the past, but she realized that it was too late to think about the past now because she just realized the fluttery feeling in her stomach whenever she saw him was indeed love. She brushed the thought aside and decided to think about such matters later.

"Sephiroth, let's go after them." Tifa said as she wriggled her fingers inside her gloves until it covered her hands comfortably.

He gave her a brisk nod and motioned for her to follow him. Tifa hoped that after this, everything would be all right. 

"Hojo's not here…we've been set up. Ling-Nhi is working for them." Tifa said while running.

"I know. That's why I'm going to enjoy killing her." He returned coldly.

"No. She's mine." Tifa said with a triumphant grin.

.+.+.

[A/N: Not much of a good chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it nontheless. =) Wow..I don't talk as much here! Finally huh? LOL]

[Disclaimer : Oh come now guys, you know I can never be even remotely THAT good. *bows down to Squaresoft*]


	18. Just Only the Beginning

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Seventeen

.+. Just Only the Beginning .+.

"Sephiroth?" Tifa called out softly while they stopped in front a small room.

He turned around to look at her impatiently while she nibbled on her bottom lip. God she was nervous, and the funny thing was, _why_ is she becoming such a shy, blushing, schoolgirl _now?_ Her eyes peered up to meet his and she gave him a small peevish smile.

"About my little escape--" She began, but he moved in front of her and put firm hands on both her shoulders.

"Listen. I don't care. You're fine and that's really all I give a damn about." He said gruffly.

Tears threaten to well up in her eyes, but the sound of someone clapping caught both of their attentions. Sephiroth and Tifa whirled around to find a smug looking Ling-Nhi walking towards them. A low growl-like sound erupted from Sephiroth's throat as he narrowed his eyes at Ling-Nhi. Tifa put a small hand on his broad shoulder to still him.

"Remember. She's mine. You go after Cloud, he could still be lingering in this building." She said, grinning.

Sephiroth gave a curt nod and ran off, but only scowling at Ling-Nhi before he ran off into the other direction, leaving Ling-Nhi and Tifa alone. Tifa gave a false smile at Ling-Nhi. She put her hands up and tugged on her gloves a little more snug in a suggestive way. She was going to enjoy damaging that pretty little powdered face.

"How sentimental." Ling-Nhi mocked.

"Why are you still here? If you knew what was good for you, you would've disappeared long ago." 

Ling-Nhi gave a laugh, narrowed her eyes, and replied; "Duty calls."

She brought a hand up to her sable hair and removed an object that looked like a chopstick, and with a flick of her wrists, the chopstick extended into a long stick that looked like a thick wand. Ling-Nhi advanced towards Tifa and now they circled each other; Tifa's fists were ready and Ling-Nhi was in a fighting stance. Ling-Nhi made the first move _and_ the first mistake.

She made a quick slicing-like motion in the air, but with Tifa's quick reflexes, Ling-Nhi didn't stand a chance. Tifa caught the weapon with her right hand, and shoved a fist into Ling-Nhi's left side. Ling-Nhi recoiled in pain, extended a hand, and she casted a fire one spell on Tifa. Tifa's hit points went down a little when she felt like her face had just been burned, but Tifa let that slide. Tifa whirled around, raising a leg high in the air and swinging it towards Ling-Nhi's head.

Ling-Nhi had prepared for that, so she dodged. What she didn't expect was--Tifa had bluffed. Instead, Tifa crouched into a sitting position, and her swinging leg went right for Ling-Nhi's left leg and kicked Ling-Nhi off balance. The Chinese woman fell to the floor soundly and Tifa put a foot on her face and added pressure.

"So tell me. How long have you betrayed Tseng?" Tifa asked, vehemently. Her foot threatened to mash Ling-Nhi's face.

"Fuck you, bitch." Ling-Nhi spat.

"Oh really?" Tifa mocked, pushing a little harder on her foot, "You must've forgotten , you had already told me to go fuck Sephiroth."

When all Tifa met was silence, she added with pleasure, while nudging her foot down harder, "You push my buttons, I push yours. Sound familiar?" Tifa gave a Ling-Nhi a dazzling smile, crouched down, and she raised her fist in the air and punched Ling-Nhi hard in the nose. Ling-Nhi went out in under a second, and Tifa gave a scoff.

"Who's weak now?" Tifa asked with a triumphant huff.

Moments later, Sephiroth's footsteps drew near and Tifa perked her head up in anticipation. She groaned consciously. This was how it was for Cloud and now history is repeating itself. She shook herself out of her thoughts and took great satisfaction in seeing the look on Sephiroth's face as he looked at an unconscious Ling-Nhi; Tifa could be crazy, but it looked like pride.

"Is she dead?" Was the first thing that fell from his lips.

"Well..hello to you too! Couldn't you find Cloud?" Tifa retorted with a grin.

"He's not here anymore. Is she dead?"

"No, I thought maybe Tseng would want her for questioning." Tifa asked, then rolled her eyes, "You didn't actually think I was going to _kill_ her did you?"

Sephiroth nodded his head so earnestly, Tifa wanted to laugh wondering how Sephiroth could ever look earnest. "Great. Now I'm supposed to carry her." Tifa nodded at his deflated statement, a genuine pitiful look upon her face. He winced visibly and looked at Ling-Nhi as if she was a slimy monster with five heads. Not that he could defeat her if she was anyway, Tifa thought wryly, eyeing Sephiroth's physique.

"Couldn't you just kill her and be done with it?" He asked eagerly. Tifa laughed and shook her head.

Sephiroth gave some more mutters and moved towards Ling-Nhi and hefted her on his back, and when he brushed past Tifa, he murmured, "I like it when you laugh. Do it more often."

"What?" Tifa asked, not quite hearing him.

"I said next time not only am I going to lock you up, I'm going to throw away the damn key and tie you up as well." Sephiroth replied.

Tifa laughed again, and Sephiroth secretly smiled while carrying Ling-Nhi to the control room where the others were waiting.

.+.+.

Rufus groaned and rolled his eyes when Tifa walked into the room and he had an I-Knew-It look written all over his face. His eyes however widened in surprise when he saw Sephiroth carrying Ling-Nhi into the room. 

"I'll be back. I'm going to check the rest of the building." Sephiroth said and noticed Rufus's suspicious glance before he walked off.

"So it is true." Rufus said and casted a small cure spell on Ling-Nhi to awaken her.

Tifa had bounded her up in the same rope that Ling-Nhi had used on her and so the bitch had one hell of a time squirming this way and that. Tifa gave her a bright smile and waved in a mocking friendly way before looking at Yuffie to receive her friend's wink.

"She's working for them. She tried to take me into the ice room…..are you guys all okay?" Tifa asked with concern in her voice. She was satisfied when all she noticed as a couple of cuts here and there on Simon.

Rufus nodded, swallowed, and with his wary eyes on Ling-Nhi, he replied, "Yeah we're all okay. We managed to shut down the laboratory, but what good does that do when Hojo and Cloud aren't even here?"

"It's okay, I know where they might be." Tifa assured Rufus and he looked at her with a little hope in his eyes.

"You do?" 

"Yeah…one of Cloud's men said something about Wutai." Tifa replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It was habit she had whenever she was getting edgy, nervous, or excited.

"Tifa, what exactly happened? Didn't I tell you to stay at the headquarter?" Rufus said, his voice raising and he glanced an accusing look at Yuffie.

Tifa gave Rufus a guilty look before replying, "I felt left out." Tifa then continued to tell everyone in detail what exactly had happened, leaving out the detail of the indignity of being locked up inside Sephiroth's room. Yuffie, however, gave her a knowing look. Ling-Nhi stayed quiet, looking down at the floor with a nasty look on her face. Rufus turned to her finally and eyed her with a disgusted look.

"Spit it out, just exactly what are Hojo's plans and what do you have to do with them?" Rufus asked harshly.

All Rufus met was silence. Rufus was so blind to the woman's true plans, and that was why everything was so meticulously planned and countered in this mission. That's what went wrong; someone had given the mission's information to Hojo. That someone was working in one of the top ranks in the ShinRa. Rufus raised up a hand to slap her face, when a cold voice drawled, "That won't be necessary."

Rufus tilted his head up to meet Sephiroth at the control room's doorway. Sephiroth moved in front of Ling-Nhi and unsheathed his sword. He placed in under her chin and against her neck, letting its blade gleam suggestively.

"Talk." Sephiroth said simply, but the coldness in his voice spoke much more.

She looked up at him and smirked, "Just kill me and get it over with." Was her smart reply.

"Oh no, woman. You get me all wrong. I don't just kill. I'm Sephiroth remember? Surely, you've read of me, " Sephiroth drawled and Tifa rolled her eyes at his egotistic speech, "I torture. I'll slid this sword slowly across your neck and revel in the blood that trickles upon it. In other words, I'll cut you slowly and let you bleed to death. Now talk." He finished, his eyes narrowing in a promising way.

Ling-Nhi flinched in fear before replying, "They're deep in the Wutain Mountains. That's their hideout. As for their plans, I don't know." 

Sephiroth gave her a threatening grin. "Oh, I think you do." With that, he let the blade slide a little and it cut into her neck just a little, and Ling-Nhi winced in pain.

"Cloud has this sick obsession for Tifa," Ling-Nhi said and a sickening feeling fluttered in his stomach, "He wants to suck her life into this..mirror like thing! Hojo wants…he wants.." Ling-Nhi stammered, avoiding Sephiroth's gaze.

"What. Does. He. WANT?" Sephiroth grounded out.

"I've overheard him say it. He wants…he wants you." Ling-Nhi said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sephiroth raised his eyebrow in curiosity. Hojo wants _him?_ Hatred consumed in his veins and it flowed richly into his heart as the memory of Hojo slowly traveled inside his mind, his hands itched for release. He brought a large hand up and slapped Ling-Nhi hard. Everyone seemed unsympathetic. Ling-Nhi was unconscious again from the sheer force of it.

"He'll have me all right." Sephiroth seethed, his eyes glinting with deep hatred. 

.+.+.

Tifa hesitated before raising her hand up to knock on Sephiroth's door. They were back at the ShinRa headquarter and Ling-Nhi has been kept for further questioning by Tseng himself. What Tifa was really worried about was the condition in which Sephiroth was in. He seemed different. No, he seemed as if he was now revealing his true nature. Tifa shook her head again. That was wrong too. Tifa knew that deep down, Sephiroth was capable of love and caring just like anyone else. She had seen that in Reeves and Tseng, surely there had to be goodness in Sephiroth's. There was, Tifa assured himself as she remembered the past few weeks, he was good. 

Now, it was different. On the flight back from Hojo's laboratory, which they had destroyed ultimately, Sephiroth had been quiet and brooding. Tifa understood that he had much to think about now that the realization that Hojo was after him had took over, but she had been greatly shocked when he had walked past her without so much as a glance.

Tifa understood that she did indeed piss him off at times, but damn it, so did he! Tifa sighed and realized that a whole five minutes had passed by with her standing in front of his door. She knew that in the beginning all she really wanted to do was push Sephiroth out of her mind and out of her life as quickly as possible, and she didn't even know why she bothered to nurse him back to health in the first place.

Her father's words took rein of her thoughts. He had told her that everything happens for a reason, and those reasons are always good. She smiled ruefully and wondered if Sephiroth had been something "good." If her father had been alive, he definitely wouldn't say that anymore. Tears prickled in Tifa's eyes and she scolded herself for being so teary nowadays. Then a bitter reminder whispered through her mind darkly. Sephiroth was the man that killed her father. 

She lowered her hands and turned around to walk away. Just then, the door swung open to reveal a weary looking Sephiroth. The sound of a door opening suddenly caught Tifa's attention and she whirled around to meet pools of deep malachite mixed with the essence of mako. It seemed as though the world had been stopped by time and yet it was whirling around her in a haze. 

They stood there like so for a few moments, until finally, Tifa's tears were no longer in control. 

"I'm so sorry." Tifa sobbed and she flung herself into his arms.

He was caught in surprise as Tifa wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest and there he felt the wet, moisture of her tears. He hesitated before slowly moving one of his arm to wrap it around her shaking shoulders. He then wrapped another arm around her waist and held her tightly to him, burrowing his face into her neck.

.+.+.

****

Author's Note : I hope you liked this chapter, although I personally think it wasn't that great. Well, I hope it was good and hope that you guys had a great new years, and I'm sorry I couldn't wish you one. I had some difficult logging in to FF.Net, but all that is fixed now! =) bye bye!! 

****

Disclaimer : _Squaresoft_ owns =)


	19. Too Late

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Eighteen

.+. Too Late .+.

Sephiroth couldn't help himself as he closed the door to his room and held Tifa tighter against him, savoring the warmth of her body. Sometime during their embrace, he felt the blackness in his heart slowly crumble away. It didn't disappear altogether but slowly cracked to reveal light in._ Her_ light. He wondered if she could do that for him; he wondered if she could conquer his tainted soul. He suddenly felt giddy and held her even tighter against him and searched his lips in a frantic kiss. He could pretend that just for one heavenly moment, she was his.

He reluctantly left her lips and trailed his gentle kisses on her cheeks like raindrops, and he continued his path of tenderness to her eyes where her long eyelashes rested. She gave a contented sigh and felt the familiar wave of passion rock through her body as she leaned in closer for his kisses. 

"Oh Sephiroth, you make me feel so…so.." She wanted to tell him how good she was feeling at this moment but couldn't find the words.

To her disappointment, he stopped for awhile to look into her eyes and inquired, "What is it?" She shook her head and nibbled her lower lip in consternation. It was so adorable that Sephiroth couldn't help but want to kiss her all over again, but somehow he knew that her response to his question was equally important.

"You make me feel…beautiful." She finally replied. 

His heart slammed in his chest as he heard her say those words and wondered if she had made him pure and good in those few precious seconds. A frown creased her face, however, after she said those words. 

"I'm sorry, Sephiroth." She said but now tears weren't spilling down. Instead, an honest light was captured within her eyes

"For what?" He murmured, not quite able to take his eyes off her brown eyes.

She stopped to think about what she had done. Perhaps it was because she was too nosey lately or maybe it was because of she sneaked onboard and hid in _his_ room. He had a right to be mad at her, and it was only right of her to apologize.

In his thoughts, however, he was thinking the exact opposite. He had acted like a callous cad towards her, and she deserved better. It was that recently, he had finally remembered just how evil and tainted he was. He remembered that he didn't deserve her, and he had never meant to have her as his in the first place. He had planned to kill her. She had so bravely tried to nurse him back to health, and that was how he had planned to pay her. 

It was different now. She had miraculously broke down the wall that he had skillfully constructed around his heart, but she had broken it. His heart was a whole different matter for he was sure that before it was as cold as ice. In conclusion, he decided that he was a jerk. A man who had stained his hands with blood that he didn't deserve to kill, and a man who had nothing. He couldn't give the comforts she needed, he had no gil and money left, and although Tifa didn't seem like the woman to care, he cared. 

He never cared so much before in his life, and the feeling as all so very new to him. He let go of her harshly and looked away from her as if burned just by the sight of her. Tifa felt the rejection of his movement burn deeply within her heart, and she felt the stinging in her eyes again. What had happened? One moment he was kissing her with the utmost reverence and now he was looking at her as if he was disgusted!

"I don't know why you're sorry. It is I who should be. Afterall..I.."

"No..no I'm sorry. I should've stayed here, and I shouldn't have hid in your closet like that." Tifa said earnestly.

"No!" Sephiroth bit out, "You don't understand! You're so good! You're pure! And it pisses me off that you are."

"What are you saying?" Tifa said, horror was slowly creeping across her lovely face.

"I'm saying that you should never talk to me again. Do you understand that?" Sephiroth asked, not believing his own voice.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not pure..or good--" Tifa replied, but Sephiroth cut in quickly.

"Look at my hands!" Sephiroth exclaimed. Tifa looked at them. 

"Your hands?" She asked in confusion. What did he mean?

"You don't see what I see. I see blood, Tifa. I see my Masamune taking the lives of innocents. And my heart, Tifa!" He said, turning away from her.

Against her better judgement, Tifa reached out and placed a palm against his chest where his heart was lying beneath it. 

"What about your heart Sephiroth?" She asked softly, daring to touch her fingers to his chin and making him look into her eyes.

The depths of his green eyes showed a forest of confusion, pain, and remorse. She didn't know how everything had come to lead to this one moment. Here was a man that she hated so deeply, but now he was the one man she loved and needed the most. She was sure of it. She was sure that the rapid beating of her heart wasn't because she hated him. She was sure that the warmth that slowly spread through her body when he kissed her wasn't because she hated him.

She was sure that he needed her too. It was written in his eyes.

"My heart is not good enough for you." He replied darkly.

Tifa was horrified by his painful reply. His heart wasn't good enough for her? If it wasn't good enough then why did she need it so? She admitted that she had never meant to want it in the first place. He was the last man she should've gotten involved with. 

But he was so different from then.

The Sephiroth she knew back then had cold and malice shining in those mako green eyes. She was still staring into his eyes intently but all she saw was pain and emotion. How could he not see it? Now he had something within that glowed. Something so good that it was only clear to her, and she wondered why he couldn't see it. 

"I think you should go Tifa." He finally said and turned away from her again.

No, she wouldn't stand for this. She wouldn't let another man push her away and leave again. She grabbed him by his arm and leaned in quickly to kiss him. Hard. His reaction was instantaneous and instead of listening to his rational mind, he listened to his traitorous heart. He pulled her tightly against him and kissed her in equal heated passion, trailing his tongue along the outline of her lips.

It was heaven and he knew it. But how was a devil supposed to stay in heaven, he wondered. He didn't care, and as he kissed her hungrily, all thoughts were lost. He kissed her neck at its graceful arch, and Tifa quivered at the touch of his warm lips. His hands found the silky strands of her hair and he hung onto her as if hanging on for dear life.

He pulled away from her sharply and muttered a sharp curse. Tifa sighed heavily and walked away from him towards the door. She paused for two seconds to see if he would come for her, but he didn't. She turned around to find that his slightly slouched back was facing her, and she walked out of the room with great sadness. She never noticed that when she had turned back around, he had turned around to look at her.

It was too late. Everything was too late.

.+.+.

****

Author's Note : I know, I know. That was a short one. *sighs* I'm dreadfully sorry for the gramatical errors or spelling ones lol. Anyhow, I hope you review and tell me what you think. Due to requests for a lot of fluff, I put in a whole chapter of it although I didn't quite end it well. ^_^ Don't worry, Sephy and Tifa WILL be together. Lol What kind of Sephiroth fan would I be if I didn't have it that way? ^_^ Until next time! Oh and if you like Vincent x Tifa, go ahead and read A Crimson Rose. It's also by me! Oh, and you should definitely read A Wishing Star. It's by Faerlyte (…oh I hope I spell that right……) Well you should be able to look It up by title, it's really good!!!

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Disclaimer : FFVII and its characters are not mine. ^_^


	20. Kidnapped

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Nineteen

.+. Kidnapped .+.

Sephiroth stared blankly at the vast garden that lay in view before him. Colorful flowers of violet, white, red, and pink blanketed the lush, green grass. It was one of the many rooms he had discovered during his stay at the ShinRa headquarters' building. Instead of seeing the beautiful scenery, he saw images of a young woman with hair of silky copper. He vaguely remembered that Tseng had called for a meeting.

He had been acting like a jerk for the past two weeks, and he knew it. He was doing her a favor by keeping her away from him. Or so he thought. The nagging feeling that penetrated his feelings told him otherwise. The pure sadness in her eyes the night he turned her away could not be forgotten, but how could he soothe her when his pain was also great? He was like the devil wanting liberation from an angel, and in that alone was pure sin. Yet, the nagging feeling told him otherwise.

He heard someone opening the entrance door to the garden, and he glanced at the entryway. His heart almost stopped when he saw Tifa looking around, her eyes finally capturing his. Why was she still here? He thought that Tseng had already sent Tifa back to an isolated manor in the mountains, and after a lot of protests from Tifa, she finally gave in. But she was here, and she was approaching him with reluctant eyes. He turned away from her, wanting to ignore her and ignore the burning sensation that was tugging at his heartstrings.

"I've come to say goodbye." She said softly. He said nothing.

"Tseng wanted to know why you didn't go to the meeting. They're planning to attack Hojo's laboratory base tomorrow in Wutai." She continued. Still no answer.

"They need you." She said with a weary sigh. But she still received no answer.

"I can't go on any of the missions. Tseng said it's too risky. He's sending me into the mountains in a far off continent." She told him. She knew he was listening even though he had not even spared a glance toward her.

She sighed heavily and walked away, finally exiting the room and out of his life. He let out a low growl and tried to ignore the feelings of hurt, disappointment, and guilt.

.+.+.

"Are you sure you'll be safe alone?" Yuffie asked, concern clouding in her eyes.

Tifa smiled at Yuffie affectionately and nodded. Her thoughts were barely focused on the words that seemed to endlessly trail out of Yuffie's mouth because it seemed to linger and swim in thoughts of Sephiroth. He was all she thought about now that she had accepted her love for him. Her heart ached, and she felt compelled to put her hand upon her chest to calm the pain. 

"Are you alright?" Yuffie asked, frowning. Something was terribly wrong with her friend, "You look ill."

"I'm alright, Yuffie. I've got to leave right now. I'll miss you and good luck with Vincent." Tifa replied, hugging her friend. 

"You'll come to our wedding right?" Yuffie asked, still worried. Tifa laughed and nodded.

"We'll visit you once you move back to Nibelhiem. I can't believe you can't go back there until this is all resolved! Who knows when _that _will be!" Yuffie cried out.

"I'll be alright, really." Tifa said and added a lighthearted laugh to reassure her dear friend.

"You're stopping by an inn first right? Please promise me, you'll protect yourself the best you can Tifa!" 

"Yuffie," Tifa chided teasingly, "You know I can kick butt." 

After what seemed to be countless numbers of hugs and farewells, Tifa was well on her way onto a small traveling plane, just invented for far-off continents. She had hoped to see Sephiroth for her departure, but he had stayed away. Tifa felt the confusion and hurt clawing at her eyes and threatened to spill tears. She was alone again. 

__

Just accept your fate, Tif'. You're meant to be a spinster.

.+.+.

Sephiroth took another swig at the whiskey bottle he held in his hands. His vision was starting to blur, and his memory was fading. This was what he wanted. He wanted to forget the way Tifa smiled at him, the way she made him feel whenever she was close. Tseng's plan had to be postponed due to unexpected things. Ling-Nhi had somehow escaped. He looked at the whiskey bottle in his hands curiously, pleading it to erase the memories of Tifa with his hooded green eyes. 

He had never been a drinker, but he found the recklessness of the forbidden liquid satisfying if not repulsive at the same time. He grunted and smiled ruefully. Tifa was out of his life now. Shouldn't he be relieved and overjoyed? No. He was feeling angry at the twisted way fate had played him, and at the feelings he could never accept. Tifa deserved someone better than that. She deserved an angel to protect and guide her. 

As he took another generous gulp from the bottle, he stated in his mind firmly that he was no angel.

.+.+.

Tifa looked around the inn. Something was not quite right. No one seemed to be in here. Not even the innkeeper. She had barely took two steps around the room when a strange, yet hypnotic smell reached her nostrils. Suddenly, she felt drowsy and she felt as if her head was a heavy burden on her shoulders. She dropped to the floor within seconds, trying to fight the darkness that threatened to overcome her.

Darkness won and she was thrust into oblivion.

A few moments later, a burly man stepped into the room, panting. A dizzying sensation swept over him, and he had to steady himself by placing a palm on a nearby table. He looked around and his years training with ShinRa told him that sleeping gas had been used. Panic gripped his throat tightly. Miss Lockheart was in danger.

"Miss Lockheart!" He shouted, his eyes sweeping over the empty room.

It did not take long for it to register in his mind that the lovely Tifa Lockheart had been kidnapped.

.+.+.

"She WHAT?!" Tseng exclaimed, slamming a fist down on his table.

Everyone was tense in the room, especially Yuffie. Her face was no longer innocent and cheerful. Her lips were set in a grim line, and her eyes were filled with fury. Kidnapped? She just barely left! Everyone's eyes impatiently snapped to the new figure that just entered the room. It was Sephiroth, and he was still slightly drunk.

"What the hell is it?" He snapped, trying to shake his head of the throbbing sensation inside his head.

"Tifa has been kidnapped." Yuffie replied coldly, her voice rivaling his. Vincent's face seemed impassive, and if it wasn't for the rage that was shown in his blood-red eyes, they would've thought he could cared less.

Sephiroth's heart slammed and almost halted inside his chest. His head was suddenly clear and quickly replaced by thick waves of anger. And fear. He had known fear when he found that she wasn't locked inside his room on the Highwind, but this was a fear unlike no other. He had no idea where she was, and how to get to her. How could he have been such a jerk, such an idiot, such a fool? While he was reprimanding himself, Yuffie gave him an incredulous look.

"You don't even care." She spat out and turned to Tseng, "What should we do?"

Tseng looked at Yuffie wearily and sighed heavily, his shoulders drooping as if bricks were shoved upon them. "I don't know, Yuffie. I don't know. Hojo's activities have seemed to disappear altogether from Wutai. We have no trace of him, he's completely disappeared." 

Yuffie cried out in frustration, as did Barret. "Can't yeh do anything! Tifa's out there in god-knows-what danger!" He cried, waving his arms frantically in the air. It was his trademark.

"Please, Barret. Stay calm." Tseng soothed. Barret showed Tseng what a bunch of bull crap he thought that was by snorting his disbelief.

"Fuck! Can't you do anything!? She's in danger. We gotta put everything off until we find her." Cid exclaimed. Yuffie didn't notice his cursing. She wanted to curse herself.

Putting a weary hand over his sleepy eyelids, he replied, "We can't, Cid. We don't even have the _slightest_ clue as to where she is or where Hojo is. As for Cloud, we don't even have a crumb of info. We can't just go poking in the dark."

Several voices spoke out in alarm, eager to voice their opinions and ideas. Sephiroth felt as if he was drowning. The noise was becoming too much for him, and he growled menacingly. They quieted quickly, suddenly feeling his power, and looked at him strangely.

"_I_ will go find her." He growled.

Yuffie gave him a disgusted glare, but hope stirred within the depths of her heart. Deep inside, she was still convinced that Sephiroth was the key to Tifa's happiness. It was clear that he had broken her heart from the way Tifa was acting before her departure. Her mind held a raging battle against whether she should trust Sephiroth or continue hating him. She chose to hate him.

"I don't see how her well being is any of your business." Yuffie spat, and as much as he hated to admit it, there was a bit of truth in what she said. "I also don't believe you."

"Believe it." He replied.

.+.+.

Tifa yelped in pain as a guard slammed her into a dungeon. Its rotten smell made her want to vomit, and she tried to blink back tears of frustration. She didn't have a fighting weapon with her and didn't have a clue where she was. She stared out at a high window and noticed that it was night. Streams of moonlight were pouring in, and she tried to keep her sobs down.

She felt more alone than she ever did before, and she pulled her arms around her for comfort and warmth. She felt hungry, sleepy, and frightened. Had Cloud ordered to kidnap her? It must've been, and as images inside her head took bad turns, she felt panic rising in her heart. Sleep finally claimed over her right just before she thought of a silver-haired man. 

Who as of now, was trying to rescue her.

****

Author's Note : Hope you liked this chapter. I'm very tempted to write another story…but I don't want to leave this one behind. I'm taking a deeper interest in A Crimson Rose now. I wanted to write a better Sephiroth x Tifa, but I won't leave this one behind so don't worry. ^_^ Keep reviewing, and I won't get discouraged! (That sounds like a threat…lol…gomen) This story is becoming more crappy by the day. LOL

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Disclaimer : *sweatdrops* err--right lol 


	21. I Love You

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Twenty

.+. I Love You .+.

Tifa woke up to the groaning sound of the door opening, and she moaned in pain. The sound felt like thousands of tiny needles was attacking her head all at once. She was suddenly yanked up with a vicious yank, and she forced her eyes open to meet pale, icy, blue ones.

"Let's go." Cloud snarled.

"Go? Go where?" Tifa asked. She was confused and tired.

"Don't ask. We have to get out of here before that bastard Hojo comes." He replied. His voice sent cold, repulsive shivers down her spine. She tried to squirm away.

"Don't you dare!" He said, raising his hand to strike her.

"Or else…?" A cold, deadly voice drawled.

Sephiroth strode in, power rippling in every pore of his body. His eyes were full of green menace, glittering with the promise of death. Cloud pulled Tifa closer to him, thrusting his hands into his pockets for a knife, then brought it to her soft, and exposed throat.

"Don't come closer." Cloud warned, pressing the knife closer to Tifa's neck.

Sounds of footsteps started advancing towards the cellar. Another person. Sephiroth dared not take his eyes off of Cloud, and the two men stayed there, locking in deadly eye contact. It was then, when Hojo appeared in the cellar doorway with a look of pure glee, that both of the men turn their heads towards their the newcomer's direction. He was holding a talisman, and it was transmitting a smoky, black aura from the smooth, reflective surface. Tifa shuddered. 

"Sephiroth. It's beckoning to you. Can't you hear it? You survived because of it. Touch it and _kill_ that woman!" He ordered silently, his voice smooth and hypnotic.

Sephiroth swayed to the talisman, his fingers brushing the cool handle of it, and grasped it firmly in his hands. Tifa held her breath. She was going to lose Sephiroth to darkness again. He advanced towards her, mist fogging in his eyes, holding the talisman dangerously in his hands. Cloud seemed almost entranced by the strength and power radiating from Sephiroth. Sephiroth raised the mirror to Tifa's head, and she closed her eyes. 

There was a loud crash, the sound of glass breaking against cold ground. Tifa jerked open her eyes to find Cloud shaking his head warily, as if awakening from a deep slumber, and Sephiroth was holding Hojo by the throat.

"Sephiroth stop! Tseng would want him alive!" Tifa exclaimed, glanced nervously at Cloud who was rubbing his temples.

Sephiroth felt the rage and fury boiling inside him, and he fought for control. His need for kill was screaming in his veins, the temptation whispering in his mind. _Tifa._ He couldn't stop. He dropped a limp Hojo to the floor then turned to Tifa; his eyes were still cold.

"He will live. Come, we need to go." Sephiroth said, glaring at Cloud.

"..Tifa…What have I done?" He murmured, looking at Tifa with confused eyes. 

"Oh Cloud!" Tifa cried out and flung her arms around Cloud's neck. She had her friend back.

Jealousy stabbed at Sephiroth, and he whirled around quickly, dragging Hojo out the cellar with him. He was not needed here anymore. Tifa had found her way back to Cloud, and it looked as if they had a future together.

.+.+.

Tifa looked at Cloud, at loss for what to say. Everything had been explained to them. The talisman was created, using Sephiroth's drained Jenova energy and cells, and somehow Sephiroth had managed to survive. They said his will was too strong, who knows? The talisman wield a power like Jenova, it could sway people to do whatever malicious deed it wanted carried out. Cloud was the first victim. Here he was the man of her dreams, telling her he loved her, and now they can have a life together.

Everything would be just as she wanted it to be. Her mind demanded that she say yes at Cloud's offer, and yet her heart urged her to do otherwise.

"Tifa?" Cloud called out, waving his hand up and down in front of her face. "Tifa I know I have caused you pain, but please understand that I didn't mean to." There was desperation in his voice.

Her mind still wandered, still searching for what was keeping her back. It meandered to her bar, her lonely existence, how it all changed when a man with silver hair entered her life. That was when she found her voice once again.

"Cloud…I don't think that's what I want right now." She said, finding the strength again.

Cloud looked utterly confused. "Tifa? I thought you loved me. You do love me right?"

"Yes I do, Cloud." Tifa answered and Cloud looked relieved. His face fell, however, at her next words. "But not in the way you expect me to. At least not anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"It means, it's time for me to move on. I've found my angel. He was trapped on earth all along, and I didn't even see it. Now, I can't let him go. I'm sorry Cloud." She said, and brushed past him in a hurry.

.+.+.

Sephiroth stared out into the darkening skies in the same exact spot on the highwind that he loved so much. Near the railings in the back. The spray of the ocean breeze captured his senses, his sorrow. He shrugged it off carelessly with broad shoulders and tried to think nothing of it. The truth was, he thought everything of it. He realized that he loved her, and he realized it a little too late. He pushed against the railings with the intention of going back to his room when a familiar scent reached his nostrils. 

"Please stay." Tifa pleaded to him, making her way by his side.

"What is it you want, Tifa? I will be leaving soon." He said, straining to keep his voice emotionless.

"…What do I want?" She echoed, a faint smile touching her lips. 

She moved closer to him and to his surprise, she rested her head on his chest, leaning against his hard frame. Electricity tingled through him, and he unconsciously threaded his fingers through the mass of copper silk. She sighed contentedly.

"What I want is you." She sighed.

"What about Cloud?" He found himself asking. The image of them together made his blood surge hotly.

She lifted her head, gazing at him with soft amusement. "What about him?" She merely asked. He gave a masucline, genuine laugh and hugged her, noting how fragile and soft her body was. He inhaled her unique scent, and he smelled it in the lingering air. Rose-like, seductive, innocent, and precious. 

"I don't know Tifa. I have nothing." He finally said, giving her a chance to back out. He didn't want to condemn her to a life of suffering.

"You have me. You have my heart. Isn't that everything?" She asked softly, her eyes gently challenging him.

He smiled at her, and Tifa was certain that her heart had skipped quite a few beats. He was so handsome, and so honorable. He was a good man, and it shone through his eyes, making her feel as if she was eveloped in warmth. In love.

"Yes that is everything." He said, nuzzling her neck, nipping gently at the soft flesh of her neck.

Tifa sighed with pleasure and leaned into his touch. She didn't understand how this had come to pass. So many questions and all of them seemed unanswered.

"How did you find me?" She asked. He lifted his head to meet her gaze.

"I knew he would take you some place far away. When Tseng said he couldn't track him anymore, I knew the one place that could not be monitored. It is off the map." Sephiroth replied.

Tifa touched the tip of his perfect nose teasingly, a warm smile gracing her lips. "You are so smart. My hero."

He turned his head away from her, not wanting to see how much those words had meant to him. He held a decision in the palm of his hand. He chose the path of love, the path where Tifa was awaiting him. He drew her closer, his lips precariously close to her ear.

"I love you." Sephiroth murmured. Tifa's eyes flew wide in surprise.

.+.+.

****

Author's Notes : One more chapter and it's the end guys. I must admit, I'm going to really miss this story. It's my longest one so far! Not a lot of details and work went into this one, but I've learned. A Crimson Rose is officially the start of my "serious" writing journey. I had fun with this one, and I hope you all liked this chapter and await the ending chapter. It will be sweet and pure fluff. A Zack + Tifa awaits you next, and it's dedicated to Zelda6, a reader of mine.

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Disclaimer : FFVII and its characters do not belong to me.


	22. Angel Trapped On Earth

Angel Trapped On Earth

****

Chapter Twenty One

.+. Angel Trapped On Earth .+.

__

two years later

Tifa stirred slowly awake, allowing her dark eyelashes to flutter open. She smiled tenderly as she felt strong arms curve protectively around her waist. She turned her head sideways towards the rays of the sun to look at her sleeping husband; a beautiful man that took her breath away. Today, she had something very important to tell him, and she giggled at the thought of it. Tifa tried to suppress her laughter as she heard him mutter unintelligent words as she accidentally squirmed beside him.

She reached out to touch her fingers to his lips, reverently outlining his perfect lips. She felt him kissing her fingers, and she giggled again. It never ceased to amaze her how this man could bring her so much joy. 

"Liar. I knew you were awake!" Tifa teased, trying hard to sound stern was impossible with this man.

"How am I supposed to sleep when you left me so suddenly?" He asked. He was so adorable trying to sound innocent.

"Silly, I'm right here."

"You left me in my dreams." He murmured seductively, pulling her into his arms.

Tifa felt a delightful blush sweep across her cheeks. He never failed to make her feel beautiful or desirable. He took her petite hands into one of his masculine ones, and he kissed each knuckle one by one. His emerald eyes never left her crimson ones.

"Sephiroth dear, it's time to wake up." She warned. It didn't work too well since her insides felt like liquid.

"Why?" He teased, his eyes were sparkling with male amusement.

"I have to go open up the bar, and you have to go to meet up with Tseng today remember?" Tifa frowned at how well his innocence was working.

"I do?"

"Sephiroth!" Tifa growled, and he laughed, his voice was deep and lazy. It should be a crime for someone to be as sexy as he was.

Tifa wriggled away from him just before Sephiroth had the chance to grab her again, and she made a mad dash for the bathroom, throwing a pillow at him playfully. As she entered the bathroom, she caught the reflection of someone new. Someone that's truly happy, truly whole, and truly free. She smiled warmly at her reflection, and rolled her eyes when she heard the voice of someone she knew all too well.

"You're purposely stalling in there! Now get out quickly and come back to my side!" He called out. 

How could she not love the way he possessively needed her? The way his eyes always held raw hunger and love for her? _Spoiled brat,_ she thought to herself, but her heart wasn't really in it. She quickly got out of the bathroom, crossed her arms, and looked at him with an amused smile.

"I've been there for a full five minutes." She said flatly, teasing him with her eyes.

"Exactly. No woman should go for five minutes without my company." He replied, flashing her a devastating smile.

"Oh, so you've been with more women?" Tifa asked, narrowing her eyes.

Sephiroth laughed and beckoned her to his side, and Tifa couldn't help but go willingly. She rested her head on his chest, and her breathing matched his perfectly. It was like this for a long time before she lifted her head up to meet his intense gaze. His eyes seemed to hold fire, ice, and passion all at once in the green depths of his beautiful eyes. She swallowed nervously, touching her tongue to her lower lip to moisten her suddenly dry lips. 

"Is something wrong?" He asked softly, feathering his thumb across the inside of her wrist gently, sending butterflies to her stomach.

"N-no. It's just..I have something to tell you." She said, stammering over her words.

He smiled at her warmly, letting his silence urge her on. She smiled sheepishly, and she unconsciously placed her free hand over her flat stomach. Sephiroth's eyes widened in shock and looked at her hopefully. She nodded, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. His eyes were twinkling with happiness, and Tifa was certain that he held the stars within his eyes.

"A girl? A boy?" He asked, bobbing his head up and down like a little boy.

She laughed at his question, "Sephiroth..It's too early in the stage to tell. I want it to be a boy. A boy with silver hair and green eyes." Sephiroth smiled at her smugly, and shook his head earnestly.

"Nope. A girl." He said resolutely as if he was absolutely sure of himself.

"Don't be silly! We can't tell yet!" She argued, laughing merrily. He loved the sound of her laughter just as he loved everything about her.

"I'm sure of it. It's a girl with silky brown hair and vivid crimson eyes." He replied stubbornly. 

"A boy!" She protested, getting caught up in the magic.

"A girl!"

"BOY!"

"It'll be a girl I say, and that's final." He said, hugging her to him. She was so precious, so fragile, and it was a miracle that she was all his.

"Oh Sephiroth, would it be so bad to have a boy?" She teased.

He looked heavenwards, as if giving the thought careful consideration. She swatted his shoulder playfully. "Alright alright, a boy would lovely. But a girl... now_ that_ would be splendid."

She laughed happily and nestled into the comfort of his arms, and closed her eyes dreamily. A family of her own, and to share the happiness with Sephiroth was like a dream come true. It had all started with a nightmare, a demon in its wake. Now it was all a wonderful dream with an angel in her life. She smiled inwardly and decided that Sephiroth was an angel. Her angel. Good thing he was here trapped on Earth with her because she was certain that she would never have the strength to let him go.

It was ironic because in that very moment, Sephiroth was thinking the exact same thing. 

"You know, I think I'll name her Angel." Sephiroth suddenly announced. 

Tifa scowled at him. "It'll be a boy."

"Then he can be named Angel." Sephiroth replied chuckling. 

.+.+.

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Author's Notes : Ehhh short ending, ne? Gomen ne!!!! Well---lol..ta-da? I'll miss writing this story, but to be truthful, I really wanted to end it because I had other stories that I was really interested in. I will write another Sephiroth/Tifa fanfic, and it'll be much better than this one. ^^ I promise.

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Disclaimer : FFVII and its characters are not mine. ^^;;


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